IADR Abstract Archives
A Novel Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block (IANB) Simulator : The Design and Development of a Real-Time Innovative Prototype
Objectives: This research embarked on a collaboration between mechanical engineers, oral and maxillofacial surgeons and neurosurgeon at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) to develop and design a clinical simulation prototype for pre-clinical training on administration of inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) in line with the increment of the number of dental undergraduates per cohort and amendments to New Dental Officer Programme (NDOP), Ministry of Health Malaysia (2016) requires a more effective and innovative clinical simulation training at undergraduate level.
Methods: Design of the IANB prototype incorporated feedback from dental undergraduates and dental academicians regarding the conventional teaching method and their aspiration for improvements in dental undergraduates attaining profound clinical skills prior to treating patients. Development of the IANB prototype included incorporation of a material mimicking the oral soft tissues and a sensor mechanism in the inferior alveolar nerve to indicate correct injection site for administration of IANB with real-time assessment and feedback to the dental undergraduate and supervisors.
Results: In the development process, our collaboration achieved the proposed design of the electronic circuit mimicking the human nerve pathway with identification of targeted points for IANB administration. Each IANB performed on the prototype was integrated on a data live streaming platform for real-time assessment by both parties.
Conclusions: This research has shown that it is possible to design a clinical simulation prototype mimicking the human anatomy in assessing pre-clinical competence of dental undergraduates. Ongoing studies are currently in progress to assess willingness and readiness of UiTM dental undergraduates and dental academics in utilisation of the novel IANB clinical simulation aid. As subsequently, the IANB prototype will contribute significantly to sustainable innovation in medical and health care that provides benefits to social and economic sectors while profoundly protecting patients’ safety.
Methods: Design of the IANB prototype incorporated feedback from dental undergraduates and dental academicians regarding the conventional teaching method and their aspiration for improvements in dental undergraduates attaining profound clinical skills prior to treating patients. Development of the IANB prototype included incorporation of a material mimicking the oral soft tissues and a sensor mechanism in the inferior alveolar nerve to indicate correct injection site for administration of IANB with real-time assessment and feedback to the dental undergraduate and supervisors.
Results: In the development process, our collaboration achieved the proposed design of the electronic circuit mimicking the human nerve pathway with identification of targeted points for IANB administration. Each IANB performed on the prototype was integrated on a data live streaming platform for real-time assessment by both parties.
Conclusions: This research has shown that it is possible to design a clinical simulation prototype mimicking the human anatomy in assessing pre-clinical competence of dental undergraduates. Ongoing studies are currently in progress to assess willingness and readiness of UiTM dental undergraduates and dental academics in utilisation of the novel IANB clinical simulation aid. As subsequently, the IANB prototype will contribute significantly to sustainable innovation in medical and health care that provides benefits to social and economic sectors while profoundly protecting patients’ safety.
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