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. 2022 Feb 4;12(2):218.
doi: 10.3390/jpm12020218.

Effectiveness of Virtual Reality-Based Training on Oral Healthcare for Disabled Elderly Persons: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Ai-Hua Chang  1 , Pei-Chen Lin  1 , Pei-Chao Lin  2   3 , Yi-Ching Lin  4 , Yuji Kabasawa  5 , Cheng-Yu Lin  6 , Hsiao-Ling Huang  1
Affiliations

Effectiveness of Virtual Reality-Based Training on Oral Healthcare for Disabled Elderly Persons: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Ai-Hua Chang et al. J Pers Med. .

Abstract

(1) Background: Virtual reality (VR) technology is a widely used training tool in medical education. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of VR training of oral hygiene students on providing oral healthcare to disabled elderly persons. (2) Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted. In 2021, oral hygiene students were randomly assigned to a VR experimental group (EG; n = 11) and a control group (CG; n = 12). The EG received two-hour, thrice-repeated VR-based training interventions at 2-week, 4-week, and 6-week follow-ups. The CG received no VR-based interventions. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire before and immediately after each intervention. We performed generalized estimating equations to compare the responses. (3) Results: The EG exhibited a more significant improvement in oral care-related knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and intention at the 6-week follow-up than the CG. The students' intention to assist the elderly in using interdental brushes (β = 0.91), with soft tissue cleaning (β = 0.53), and with oral desensitization (β = 0.53), and to have regular dental visits (β = 0.61) improved significantly at the 6-week follow-up. (4) Conclusions: VR training positively affected students' knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and intentions on providing oral healthcare to disabled elderly persons.

Keywords: disabled; elderly; medical education; oral hygiene; virtual reality.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Depiction of three-dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) controller, glasses, and motion detectors used in the Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) VR system during interventions.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Screen captures of oral healthcare training scenarios in the interactive and immersive virtual reality (VR) system.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Procedure of the virtual reality (VR)-based training. (a) A short introduction by the researcher. (b) A student using the VR-based curriculum. (c) Evaluation.
Figure 4
Figure 4
CONSORT flowchart.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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