Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39698875›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of dental education : official journal of the Association for Dental Education in Europe2025

From Virtual Reality to Reality: Fine-Tuning the Taxonomy for Extended Reality Simulation in Dental Education.

Carlos M Serrano, María J Atenas, Patricio J Rodriguez, Johanna M Vervoorn

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of dental education : official journal of the Association for Dental Education in Europe, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Carlos M SerranoDigital Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-5742-4205
María J AtenasDigital Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID 0009-0009-8391-3713
Patricio J RodriguezDigital Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Johanna M VervoornDigital Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDigital simulation in dental education has substantially evolved, addressing several educational challenges in dentistry. Following global lockdowns and sustainability concerns, dental educators are increasingly adopting digital simulation to enhance or replace traditional training methods. This review aimed to contribute to a uniform taxonomy for extended reality (XR) simulation within dental education.

methodsThis scoping review followed the PRISMA and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched. Eligible studies included English-written publications in indexed journals related to digital simulation in dental/maxillofacial education, providing theoretical descriptions of extended reality (XR) and/or immersive training tools (ITT). The outcomes of the scoping review were used as building blocks for a uniform of XR-simulation taxonomy.

resultsA total of 141 articles from 2004 to 2024 were selected and categorised into Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), Augmented Reality (AR), Augmented Virtuality (AV) and Computer Simulation (CS). Stereoscopic vision, immersion, interaction, modification and haptic feedback were identified as recurring features across XR-simulation in dentistry. These features formed the basis for a general XR-simulation taxonomy. DISCUSSION: While XR-simulation features were consistent in the literature, the variety of definitions and classifications complicated the development of a taxonomy framework. VR was frequently used as an umbrella term. To address this, operational definitions were proposed for each category within the virtuality continuum, clarifying distinctions and commonalities.

conclusionThis scoping review highlights the need for a uniform taxonomy in XR simulation within dental education. Establishing a consensus on XR-related terminology and definitions facilitates future research, allowing clear evidence reporting and analysis. The proposed taxonomy may also be of use for medical education, promoting alignment and the creation of a comprehensive body of evidence in XR technologies.

Indexed as

Computer SimulationEducation, DentalSimulation TrainingVirtual RealityAugmented RealityHumansaugmented realitydental educationextended realityhapticsmixed realityvirtual reality

Identifiers

PMID39698875
PMCPMC12288003

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.