CompetencyDREAM-VRNCT07811349
The DREAM-VR Study: Does a Virtual Reality Tool Help Dental Students Master Acute Medical Emergencies Better?
A study testing DentEmergencyVR tool and Mannikin group in people with Competency and Confidence, Self, run by Denise van Diermen at 1 site in Netherlands.
Trial summary
The goal of this prospective educational cross-over study is to compare the competency and self-reported confidence in managing acute medical emergencies in fourth year dental students at the Academic Centre for Dentistry (ACTA) after training with a Virtual Reality (VR) training tool. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Competency, Confidence, Self, Medical Emergency Calls
- What is being tested?
- DentEmergencyVR tool and Mannikin group
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 140 participants
- Where
- 1 siteNetherlands
- Study dates
- 31 Aug 2026to 31 Oct 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 4th year dental students at ACTA who participate in the course Medical Dental Interaction in september-october 2026
Who cannot join
- students who experience severe side-effects of the VR tool, such as severe dizziness, nausea or headche
- students who do not provide informed consent
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Netherlands1 site
Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam
Amsterdam, North Holland, 1081 LA
About this study
Official title: The DREAM-VR Study: Dental Students' Readiness for Emergency Assessment and Management Through Virtual Reality
The goal of this prospective educational cross-over study is to compare the competency and self-reported confidence in managing acute medical emergencies in fourth year dental students at the Academic Centre for Dentistry (ACTA) after training with a Virtual Reality (VR) training tool. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Do students who were trained with the VR tool perform better or equally good as students who were trained with a traditional training, in managing acute medical emergencies?
- Do students who were trained with the VR tool score higher in self-reported confidence scores? Researchers will compare the group who trained with the VR tool with a group who received a traditional training with a mannikin to see if students from one of these methods performs better at a clinical exam in managing an acute emergency that is played by a trained actor. They will also be compared with themselves, since after 4 weeks the groups will be crossed-over and will receive the other training with different clinical scenarios.
Read more
Half of the participants will
- In week 1-4:
- Play a VR scenario and watch peer students play other VR scenario's
- Fill out a written peer-feedback form and discuss this with peers
- Fill out 3 short online questionnairs, before the training, just before the formative clinical exam and just after the formative clinical exam
- Participate in a formative clinical exam with a trained actor
- In week 5-8:
- Play a scenario with a mannikin and watch peer students play other scenario's*
- Fill out a written peer-feedback form and discuss this with peers
- Fill out 2 short online questionnairs, just before the summative clinical exam and just after the summative clinical exam
- Participate in a summative clinical exam with a trained actor* The other half of the participants will participate in the same protocol, but in the reverse order. They start with the traditional training with a mannikin in week 1-4 and cross-over to VR in week 5-8.
- The training program with a mannikin and the summative clinical exam is part of the regular curriculum.
- Being tested
- DentEmergencyVR tool, Mannikin group
- Keywords
- medical emergencies, dental practice, virtual reality training, competency, self-recorded confidence
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
DentEmergencyVR toolOther
Students are immersed in a virtual dental clinic. They see a virtual patient in the dental chair (avatar). The avatar can be controlled by the teacher to show signs of acute medical emergencies. The student can talk to the avatar, the avatar can talk back. The student can use virtual tools, such as blood pressure device, oximeter, etc. to diagnose the emergency and can apply virtual medication such as epinephrine injection, oxigen, etc. They can play 7 different scenario's: fainting, asthma attack, anaphylaxis, stroke, heart attack, epilepsy, hypoglycemia. They can call 911/112 to ask for an ambulance and can do a medical handover to the ambulance personell.
Mannikin groupOther
Students are told by the teacher that the mannikin is a dental patient that experiences an acute medical emergency, and what the patients' complaints are. The students can use diagnostic devices, such as blood pressure tool and oximeter, to practice. The teacher tells what the outcome of measurement is and the student proposes a diagnosis and treatment plan. They can give the mannikin test medication such as epinehrin or oxigen.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| VR group | Experimental | Dental students that practice with a VR tool for managing acute medical emergencies Receives: Other: DentEmergencyVR tool |
| Mannikin group | Active comparator | Dental students that practice with a resuscitation mannikin for managing acute medical emergencies. Receives: Other: Mannikin group |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Competence in diagnosing and treating acute medical emergencies in the dental practice
In week 4 the students will do a formative clinical test with a trained actor, who plays an acute medical emergency scenario. The topic of the scenario will be randomly assigned by drawing a lot. The students will be scored using a validated scoring table, that measures all the necessary steps in the DRS ABCDE protocol. They can obtain a maximum score of 80 when they do all the necessary steps to manage the acute emergency.
Again in week 8 the students will do a summative clinical test with a trained actor. The topic of the scenario be randomly assigned. The students will be scored using the same validated scoring table. They will pass the test if they used the adequate diagnostic tools, made the correct diagnosis and communicated effectively with the ambulance personnel. The point score on the scoring table will only be used for research purposes.
Measured: From enrollment assessment takes place in Week 4 and week 8
Self-reported competence in managing acute medical emergencies
Students will be asked to fill out 5 online surveys to report on their experienced sense of competence. The questions will be on a 5 point likert scale.
T=0: before enrolling in the training T=1: just before the formative clinical test in week 4 T=2: just after the formative clinical test in week 4 T=3: just before the summative clinical test in week 8 T=4: just after the summative clinical test in week 8
Measured: From enrollment until week 4 and 8
Self-reported confidence in managing acute medical emergencies
Students will be asked to fill out 5 online surveys to report on their experienced sense of confidence. The questions will be on a 5 point likert scale.
T=0: before enrolling in the training T=1: just before the formative clinical test in week 4 T=2: just after the formative clinical test in week 4 T=3: just before the summative clinical test in week 8 T=4: just after the summative clinical test in week 8
Measured: From enrollment in week 4 and 8
Secondary outcomes (1)
Effects of order and carry-over effects in the cross-over design
To assess whether the order in which participants receive the virtual reality training and the comparator training affects outcome scores, and whether exposure to the first intervention has a residual effect on outcomes measured after the second intervention. Intervention sequence (VR-first versus comparator-first), study period, and prior intervention exposure will be evaluated in a mixed-effects model, accounting for repeated measurements within participants.
Measured: From enrollment until week 8
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Sep 2026
- Study start31 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion31 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Oct 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for CompetencyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Model description
- It is a prospective educational cross-over study with the intervention: training with a virtual reality training tool versus a traditional mannikin training tool
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 140 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Denise van Diermen
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Denise van Diermen, Academic Centre for Dentistry in Amsterdam
- Investigators
- Denise E van Diermen, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, Academic Centrer for Dentistry Amsterdam
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07811349
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2026-54154
- Acronym
- DREAM-VR
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 30 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 10 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The DREAM-VR Study: Dental Students' Readiness for Emergency Assessment and Management Through Virtual Reality
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07811349
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- DREAM-VR / 2026-54154
- Keywords
- medical emergencies, dental practice, virtual reality training, competency, self-recorded confidence
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 140 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Denise van DiermenUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 31 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 31 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 10 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this prospective educational cross-over study is to compare the competency and self-reported confidence in managing acute medical emergencies in fourth year dental students at the Academic Centre for Dentistry (ACTA) after training with a Virtual Reality (VR) training tool. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Do students who were trained with the VR tool perform better or equally good as students who were trained with a traditional training, in managing acute medical emergencies?
- Do students who were trained with the VR tool score higher in self-reported confidence scores? Researchers will compare the group who trained with the VR tool with a group who received a traditional training with a mannikin to see if students from one of these methods performs better at a clinical exam in managing an acute emergency that is played by a trained actor. They will also be compared with themselves, since after 4 weeks the groups will be crossed-over and will receive the other training with different clinical scenarios.
Half of the participants will
- In week 1-4:
- Play a VR scenario and watch peer students play other VR scenario's
- Fill out a written peer-feedback form and discuss this with peers
- Fill out 3 short online questionnairs, before the training, just before the formative clinical exam and just after the formative clinical exam
- Participate in a formative clinical exam with a trained actor
- In week 5-8:
- Play a scenario with a mannikin and watch peer students play other scenario's*
- Fill out a written peer-feedback form and discuss this with peers
- Fill out 2 short online questionnairs, just before the summative clinical exam and just after the summative clinical exam
- Participate in a summative clinical exam with a trained actor* The other half of the participants will participate in the same protocol, but in the reverse order. They start with the traditional training with a mannikin in week 1-4 and cross-over to VR in week 5-8.
- The training program with a mannikin and the summative clinical exam is part of the regular curriculum.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- It is a prospective educational cross-over study with the intervention: training with a virtual reality training tool versus a traditional mannikin training tool
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| VR group | Experimental | Other: DentEmergencyVR toolDental students that practice with a VR tool for managing acute medical emergencies |
| Mannikin group | Active comparator | Other: Mannikin groupDental students that practice with a resuscitation mannikin for managing acute medical emergencies. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- 4th year dental students at ACTA who participate in the course Medical Dental Interaction in september-october 2026
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- students who experience severe side-effects of the VR tool, such as severe dizziness, nausea or headche
- students who do not provide informed consent
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| DentEmergencyVR toolStudents are immersed in a virtual dental clinic. They see a virtual patient in the dental chair (avatar). The avatar can be controlled by the teacher to show signs of acute medical emergencies. The student can talk to the avatar, the avatar can talk back. The student can use virtual tools, such as blood pressure device, oximeter, etc. to diagnose the emergency and can apply virtual medication such as epinephrine injection, oxigen, etc. They can play 7 different scenario's: fainting, asthma attack, anaphylaxis, stroke, heart attack, epilepsy, hypoglycemia. They can call 911/112 to ask for an ambulance and can do a medical handover to the ambulance personell. | Other | VR group |
| Mannikin groupStudents are told by the teacher that the mannikin is a dental patient that experiences an acute medical emergency, and what the patients' complaints are. The students can use diagnostic devices, such as blood pressure tool and oximeter, to practice. The teacher tells what the outcome of measurement is and the student proposes a diagnosis and treatment plan. They can give the mannikin test medication such as epinehrin or oxigen. | Other | Mannikin group |
Primary outcome
Competence in diagnosing and treating acute medical emergencies in the dental practice
Time frame: From enrollment assessment takes place in Week 4 and week 8
In week 4 the students will do a formative clinical test with a trained actor, who plays an acute medical emergency scenario. The topic of the scenario will be randomly assigned by drawing a lot. The students will be scored using a validated scoring table, that measures all the necessary steps in the DRS ABCDE protocol. They can obtain a maximum score of 80 when they do all the necessary steps to manage the acute emergency. Again in week 8 the students will do a summative clinical test with a trained actor. The topic of the scenario be randomly assigned. The students will be scored using the same validated scoring table. They will pass the test if they used the adequate diagnostic tools, made the correct diagnosis and communicated effectively with the ambulance personnel. The point score on the scoring table will only be used for research purposes.
Self-reported competence in managing acute medical emergencies
Time frame: From enrollment until week 4 and 8
Students will be asked to fill out 5 online surveys to report on their experienced sense of competence. The questions will be on a 5 point likert scale. T=0: before enrolling in the training T=1: just before the formative clinical test in week 4 T=2: just after the formative clinical test in week 4 T=3: just before the summative clinical test in week 8 T=4: just after the summative clinical test in week 8
Self-reported confidence in managing acute medical emergencies
Time frame: From enrollment in week 4 and 8
Students will be asked to fill out 5 online surveys to report on their experienced sense of confidence. The questions will be on a 5 point likert scale. T=0: before enrolling in the training T=1: just before the formative clinical test in week 4 T=2: just after the formative clinical test in week 4 T=3: just before the summative clinical test in week 8 T=4: just after the summative clinical test in week 8
1 secondary outcome
Effects of order and carry-over effects in the cross-over design
Time frame: From enrollment until week 8
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Denise E van Diermen, MD, PhD principal investigator
Academic Centrer for Dentistry Amsterdam
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing DentEmergencyVR tool and Mannikin group in people with Competency and Confidence, Self, run by Denise van Diermen at 1 site in Netherlands.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Netherlands. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Denise E van Diermen, MD, PhD (+31 20 5980654, d.v.diermen@acta.nl), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Competence in diagnosing and treating acute medical emergencies in the dental practice (time frame: From enrollment assessment takes place in Week 4 and week 8). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Sep 2026.