The Worlds First Virtual Dental School

The University of Maryland Dental School has based its 3D introduced the virtual school which is based on the 3D modelling software, ‘second life’.

The aim is to provide students with an ‘experience’ in different aspects of dentistry, from hygiene to infection control and anatomy.

The students control their ‘avatar’ using the normal keyboard and mouse functions.

The virtual dental school option will be available to first-year students in the autumn.

Carroll-Ann Trotman, associate dean for Academic Affairs, says: ‘What we are doing is developing a 3D virtual world that we can use to engage in global outreach, teaching and perhaps collaboration. So far, it has been reasonably well received by both students and faculty. This is another tool – one of several instructional tools that faculty can have to work with. Each faculty member will approach this with their own ideas.’

The concept behind the idea is to provide students with reinforced learning about the issues they will encounter during their dental careers. Such as preventive care, and overcoming fearful patients.

Julie Gilliam, the school’s instructional technology specialist who is creating the virtual programs, says that use of the second life tool ‘is not just a game… what’s most amazing about this is the ability to simulate activities, which may include greeting a new patient or taking a patient’s health history.”.

For a virtual tour of the ‘second life’ dental school, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tvdySF0J1s

By, Sam Jethwa (GKT)

The Chewing Robot

University of Bristol mechanical engineering PhD student Daniel Raabe developed the robot to mimic the action of the human jaw in collaboration with Researchers from both the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Oral and Dental Science.

The concept was drawn from aircraft simulators, which use similar movements.

Mr Raabe explains: ‘By reproducing natural bite forces and movements, the chewing robot can help improve and accelerate the process of developing new dental restorative materials that may someday be found in a person’s mouth.’



Approximately £2.5 billion each year is spent in the UK on dental materials to replace or strengthen teeth; and the advancement in crown and bridge design can be costly to test on human subjects. The robot allows generation of wear formation on single dental elements by replicating human jaw movements.

The invention known as “the chewing robot” was displayed at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition in July in the Royal Society in London.

For more information, visit www.bristol.ac.uk

By Sam Jethwa (GKT)

New Fluoride Guidelines

Following a 6 month discussion period The European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry’s Board and Council has unanimously agreed on guidelines on fluoride use in children’s toothpaste.

500ppm fluoride was chosen as the correct level in children aged six months to two years.

1000ppm should be the level found in toothpaste targeted at those aged two to six.

Children over six years old should be using toothpaste for those aged over six years it should contain 1,450ppm.

It is also recommended that Dental professionals advise children under six to use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and those over six years of age an application no larger than 1-2cm.

The updated guidelines can be found on the Academy’s site (www.eapd.gr) and in the Academy’s official journal, European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry.

The EAPD encourages health advice aimed towards parents on how to improve behaviour which could result in early transmission of Mutans Streptococci and to ensure awareness that regular intake of sweetened drinks should be discouraged, especially at bedtime.

These recommendations can be viewed at www.eapd.gr.

The 10th EAPD Congress was held at the beginning of June at Harrogate International Conference Centre.

By Sam Jethwa (GKT)