A literature review published in the Journal of Dental Education finds that haptics-enhanced virtual reality simulation shows value as a supplementary training tool in dental education, but is not yet ready to replace conventional hand-skill development. Led by the University of Eastern Finland, the international team analysed 42 studies published between 2010 and 2024, drawn from an initial pool of 667 PubMed results, alongside data from a global educator survey.

Students using VR-haptic systems were able to transfer practiced hand skills to real clinical settings, and the technology allows educators to offer more flexible preclinical and clinical training structures. Individualised feedback within these systems also supported student engagement and technique acquisition.

However, the review identifies validation as the main barrier to wider adoption. Before VR-haptics can be treated as a primary method for developing clinical hand skills, more research and formal verification of simulator outcomes are needed. The authors suggest the technology may eventually find a role in credentialing and competency assessment for both students and practising clinicians.