Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41157815›Full record

Trial reportEuropean journal of dental education : official journal of the Association for Dental Education in Europe2026

Effectiveness of a Virtual Simulation Training System for Learning Lateral Approach Maxillary Sinus Floor Elevation Skill Among Dental Students: A Pilot Study.

Min Zhang, Rongkai Cao, Lang You, Borui Xu, Yifan Xu, Zhen Fan

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in European journal of dental education : official journal of the Association for Dental Education in Europe, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Effectiveness of a Virtual Simulation Training System for Learning Lateral Approach Maxillary Sinus Floor Elevation Skill Among Dental Students: A Pilot Study.European journal of dental education : official journal of the Association for Dental Education in Europe · 2026
    Trial
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

6 authors.

Min ZhangShanghai Engineering Research Center of Tooth Restoration and Regeneration & Tongji Research Institute of Stomatology & Department of Implantology, Stomatological Hospital and Dental School, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Rongkai CaoShanghai Engineering Research Center of Tooth Restoration and Regeneration & Tongji Research Institute of Stomatology & Department of Implantology, Stomatological Hospital and Dental School, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9116-098X
Lang YouShanghai Engineering Research Center of Tooth Restoration and Regeneration & Tongji Research Institute of Stomatology & Department of Implantology, Stomatological Hospital and Dental School, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Borui XuShanghai Engineering Research Center of Tooth Restoration and Regeneration & Tongji Research Institute of Stomatology & Department of Implantology, Stomatological Hospital and Dental School, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Yifan XuShanghai Engineering Research Center of Tooth Restoration and Regeneration & Tongji Research Institute of Stomatology & Department of Implantology, Stomatological Hospital and Dental School, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Zhen FanShanghai Engineering Research Center of Tooth Restoration and Regeneration & Tongji Research Institute of Stomatology & Department of Implantology, Stomatological Hospital and Dental School, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

Funding

Experimental Teaching Reform Special Fund Project of Tongji UniversityShanghai University Municipal Key Curriculum Projects
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe complexity and limited visibility associated with the deep surgical area make learning lateral approach maxillary sinus floor elevation a significant challenge for dental students in the current circumstances. This study is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a virtual simulation training system specifically designed for learning lateral approach maxillary sinus floor elevation skills by comparing it to conventional teaching methods among dental students.

methodsA total of 40 participants were randomly assigned to two groups: a test group (N = 20) that utilised the virtual simulation training system and a control group (N = 20) that underwent conventional course-based learning. Following the training period, all participants completed a knowledge test and operational assessment to evaluate their learning efficiency. A specific questionnaire was administered to an additional 50 students to facilitate the development of the virtual simulation training system.

resultsScores obtained by the test group in the knowledge test were significantly higher than those of the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the subjective and objective criteria assessed through the operational assessment indicated a notable improvement in the use of the virtual simulation training system. The test group outperformed the control group in both aspects, and these differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The questionnaire survey showed all questions regarding overall understanding exhibited a significant improvement after utilising the virtual simulation training system (p < 0.05).

conclusionThe virtual simulation training system proves to be an effective tool for dental students to learn the lateral approach maxillary sinus floor elevation skill.

Indexed as

Clinical CompetenceEducation, DentalSimulation TrainingSinus Floor AugmentationStudents, DentalVirtual RealityEducational MeasurementFemaleHumansMalePilot ProjectsSurveys and Questionnaireseffectivenesslateral approach maxillary sinus floor elevationoral implantologysimulationvirtual reality

Identifiers

PMID41157815
PMCPMC13383334

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.