Background: The teaching of implant surgery, as in other medical disciplines, is currently undergoing a particular evolution.
Aim of the study: To assess the usefulness of haptic device, a simulator for learning and training to accomplish basic acts in implant surgery.
Materials and methods: A total of 60 people including 40 third-year dental students without knowledge in implantology (divided into 2 groups: 20 beginners and 20 experiencing a simulator training course) and 20 experienced practitioners (experience in implantology >15 implants) participated in this study. A basic exercise drill was proposed to the three groups to assess their gestural abilities.
Results: The results of the group training with the simulator tended to be significantly close to those of the experienced operators.
Conclusion: Haptic simulator brings a real benefit in training for implant surgery. Long-term benefit and more complex exercises should be evaluated.