Improved technical performance and critical thinking of undergraduate dental students when utilising simulation-based practical educational intervention

Since the formal training of dental health professionals began, the application of conventional simulation–based education has been the gold standard in clinical hand skills training. In the last twenty years the incorporation of haptic technology has both augmented and revolutionised clinical psychomotor development by offering alternative approaches in developing critical thinking through new pedagogical strategies. Moreover, assessment of the capacity for critical thinking in relation to acquisition of clinical skills for dental students is still elusive. Therefore, as technology progressed in other professional training, its adoption into dentistry offers not only hand skills training, but also an integration and assessment of development of critical thinking skills in dentistry.