Association for Dental Education in Europe

Learning together to improve oral health and quality of life

Reimagining digital reinforcement of the dental education: bridging borders, uniting missions by the digital, VR and haptic thinkers global network.

Wednesday, 20th August 2025 - 14:30 to 15:15
Add to Calendar
Timezone: 

Dublin (IST, UTC+1)

Venue: 

Tangent TCDBS

Session type: 
Type 4: Organised, planned and delivered by an external group without input from ADEE
VR Haptic Thinkers
Pre-register as part of your ADEE 2025 meeting registration
Session synopsis: 
Digital, Virtual Reality, and Haptic technology is not merely a tool for preclinical, clinical, or postgraduate training - it's a "Dr. X" for our field as well. These cutting-edge technologies serve as a comprehensive knowledge booster, skills trainers, ergonomic coaches, and even a psychotherapeutic aid.

The integration of these technologies in basic and advanced healthcare education represents a significant leap forward in shaping the next generation of professionals and will influence oral care. These technologies offer unparalleled opportunities for enhancing both knowledge acquisition and skill development, yet their global adoption remains surprisingly limited despite being available for over a decade.

Difficulties seeing and accessing the teeth are the main hurdles in the adoption of ergonomic posture for handpiece education. Students often place their bodies in unhealthy positions in order to achieve the wanted outcome. Assessment of this association is crucial, because students should be aware of unhealthy positions and to learn how to prevent it. This interactive session will provide attendees the ability to assess ergonomic issues and understand the role VR haptics can play in reducing these issues, as well.

Programme: 

TBC

Chair: 

Szabolcs Felszeghy

Docent (Associate Professor)
Institute of Dentistry, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland

Dr. Szabolcs Felszeghy, is an experienced educator with a robust background in preclinical medical and dental sciences, including Human Anatomy, Histology, Embryology, and preclinical Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry. Demonstrated ability to enhance learning through innovative teaching methods such as gamification and VR-haptic training. He holds Ph.D. and Habilitation in Medical Sciences (University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary), DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary). He Developed and taught courses in Human Anatomy, Histology, Embryology, and Prosthodontics. Recognized multiple times as one of the best teachers of the year. He implemented gamification strategies and VR-haptic training to improve student engagement. Served as IAMSE Ambassador. He is Passionate about fostering international collaboration among educators and engages in faculty development and collaborative scholarly activities as the Founding President and Secretary General Digital, VR-Haptic Thinkers Global Consortium. The Established a global network comprising 51 top-tier teams with over 150 members focused on advancing Digital, VR-haptic education. He authored over 50 highly ranked publications, including contributions to Nature.

Barry A. Quinn

Vice Dean for Scholarship & Staff Development | Chair in Restorative Dentistry and Dental Education
University of Liverpool, School of Dentistry, UK

Professor Barry F.A. Quinn is the Vice Dean for Scholarship and Staff Development and Chair in Restorative Dentistry and Dental Education at the University of Liverpool. He is an internationally recognised leader in dental education and research, with an extensive portfolio of senior roles in national and international organisations.

Barry currently serves as Secretary General of the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE), President of the Royal Society of Medicine’s Odontology Section, and President of the IADR Prosthodontic Group. He has previously held presidencies of the British Alliance for Researchers in Dental Education and Scholarship (BARDES) and the Education Research Group of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR).

He has also contributed to the work of UNESCO, IFIP, and the General Dental Council (GDC), particularly in areas of quality assurance and professional standards. Barry’s contributions to dental education have been widely recognised. In 2023, he was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship—only the 12th UK dental professional to receive this honour in the award’s history. His research spans interprofessional education and haptic virtual reality surgical simulation training, and has earned accolades such as the Medical Futures Award and ADEE’s Mature and Interprofessional Educator Awards.

He is the author of over 200 abstracts and publications, and remains committed to advancing excellence, innovation, and collaboration in dental education and scholarship.

Learning Outcomes: 

Following this session participants will be able to:

  • Explain how curriculum designers can impact their ability to implement dental tasks efficiently on different preclinical and clinical courses.
  • Discuss the importance of proper combination and timing of different modules for both the student's well-being and assessment.
  • Demonstrate best practices that can enhance performance and reduce strain on student.

Stay up to date