sim labs

[ddsjymaeng]

Do u think Sim Labs are important in deciding which schools to go?
I have no idea...
What u guyz think?

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[dddsmack]

I think they are cool. But you can certainly become a great dentist without them.

 

[waikiki]

No,
I personally think it would be more practical to choose a school that can provide you with 'real' humans, a dynamic patient pool, rather than just high tech mannequins

 

[dddsmack]

No,
I personally think it would be more practical to choose a school that can provide you with 'real' humans, a dynamic patient pool, rather than just high tech mannequins

One of the benefits is that you don't need to wait 40 minutes for a professor to tell you to take it down one micron, the computer tells you that before you can pass it off. Also, Freshman usually need to learn posture more than anything. So Sims can come in handy.

 

[keibee82]

I think sim labs are stupid, because they can't say

 

[billyjones]

I'm torn. On the one hand I think it would be very reassuring to have done some procedures in a simlab before attempting it on a real patient. On the other hand, the more exposure to the real thing the better. I don't want to be spending hours and hours in a simlab, not learning how to interact with the real thing. I want to have the maximum amount of time with patience possible.

 

[dddsmack]

I am pretty sure that sim labs are great for pre clinical work and then when you are ready for real patients, it is show time.

 

[PickMe]

you guys have it all wrong. sim labs are not a replacement for humans. how many schools let you work on actual people during your first year anyway? id rather work in a simlab than nothing. i love the simlab at penn, its actually fun and you learn how to evaluate your work as well as posture, etc. theres all sorts of research on how they help students later down the road in pre-clinic and clinic. other schools im sure have alternatives to simlabs, but i like em. no, they aren't necessary to becoming a dentist, but its fun to start drilling the first week of your first year of dental school and i think ill feel more confident down the road when it comes to working on real people.

 

[dddsmack]

I was waiting for a real D student to back me up.

 

[prez_al]

That's the dilemma I'm in too. If I go to Case, I'll have it pretty easy compared to Michigan or Columbia which really doesn't have many gadgets which Case has.

 

[pacbum]

you guys have it all wrong. sim labs are not a replacement for humans. how many schools let you work on actual people during your first year anyway? id rather work in a simlab than nothing. i love the simlab at penn, its actually fun and you learn how to evaluate your work as well as posture, etc. theres all sorts of research on how they help students later down the road in pre-clinic and clinic. other schools im sure have alternatives to simlabs, but i like em. no, they aren't necessary to becoming a dentist, but its fun to start drilling the first week of your first year of dental school and i think ill feel more confident down the road when it comes to working on real people.

very well said. sim labs just give early exposure and help improve "manual dexterity." i feel its a way to allow young d-school students to develop their skills handling dental instruments before they do the actual procedures on humans. if the dent sims replaced clinical experience in the 3rd and 4th years, then it would be a problem, but this is not the case. plus it adds a little enjoyment to the rigorous academics during 1 and 2nd year.

 

[1992Corolla]

I was waiting for a real D student to back me up.

But you listened to someone from PENN...

Time for Temple to make the opinion that matters (just kidding Penn guy)

Skillz are not hinged on sim labs or not. Would it be cool to work on a fake computerized tooth? Sure. Is it how it will be in the clinic? Hellz no. Is your patient going to tell you you have 4 more mm before all the decay is gone? Will he tell you when that undercut is deep enough or the axial wall of a class II is just right? No. So all in all the computer is a pointless exercise and should be put on the same tier as doing many many pre clinic procedures.

Temple has half a head where we screw in a typodont (f4k3 mouth) and go to town.

This semester we did ~15 wax ups, 3 acrylics (including one temporary over implant molar), 4 composites, 4-5 amalgams. Including articulator, plaster, stone, etc. projects. Again, 2nd, 3rd years will laugh at this 'achievment' but not many other chools get this involved. Do we have sim labs? Maybe in the attic.

 

[PickMe]

But you listened to someone from PENN...

Time for Temple to make the opinion that matters (just kidding Penn guy)

Skillz are not hinged on sim labs or not. Would it be cool to work on a fake computerized tooth? Sure. Is it how it will be in the clinic? Hellz no. Is your patient going to tell you you have 4 more mm before all the decay is gone? Will he tell you when that undercut is deep enough or the axial wall of a class II is just right? No. So all in all the computer is a pointless exercise and should be put on the same tier as doing many many pre clinic procedures.

Temple has half a head where we screw in a typodont (f4k3 mouth) and go to town.

This semester we did ~15 wax ups, 3 acrylics (including one temporary over implant molar), 4 composites, 4-5 amalgams. Including articulator, plaster, stone, etc. projects. Again, 2nd, 3rd years will laugh at this 'achievment' but not many other chools get this involved. Do we have sim labs? Maybe in the attic.

just to clear this up, im a girl.
secondly, i didnt say the clinic later relied on dentsim, i said it helped with dexterity and therefore helps down the road. no, a patient will not be telling you how many mm to go, or if the wall isnt straight, but im sure that your teachers are giving you the same feedback on your work. doing it in a sim lab just adds a lil fun to the equation. i would hardly call it pointless, but then again, if youve never used one, i guess you wouldnt know the benefits of the program.

 

[dddsmack]

But you listened to someone from PENN...

Time for Temple to make the opinion that matters (just kidding Penn guy)

Skillz are not hinged on sim labs or not. Would it be cool to work on a fake computerized tooth? Sure. Is it how it will be in the clinic? Hellz no. Is your patient going to tell you you have 4 more mm before all the decay is gone? Will he tell you when that undercut is deep enough or the axial wall of a class II is just right? No. So all in all the computer is a pointless exercise and should be put on the same tier as doing many many pre clinic procedures.

Temple has half a head where we screw in a typodont (f4k3 mouth) and go to town.

This semester we did ~15 wax ups, 3 acrylics (including one temporary over implant molar), 4 composites, 4-5 amalgams. Including articulator, plaster, stone, etc. projects. Again, 2nd, 3rd years will laugh at this 'achievment' but not many other chools get this involved. Do we have sim labs? Maybe in the attic.

Thanks for the unbiased point of view.

He does have a point though. You can be a great dentist without them. I wouldn't mind messing with them during all the pre clinical work though.

 

[HuyetKiem]

I got addicted to those machines back in my freshman year at Case and spent quite a bit of money for the plastic teeth. It's pay back time in my 3rd year now.

 

[PickMe]

I got addicted to those machines back in my freshman year at Case and spent quite a bit of money for the plastic teeth. It's pay back time in my 3rd year now.

we dont pay for the teeth (directly) at penn. im sure its hidden in our tuition though.

 

[Allen08]

That's the dilemma I'm in too. If I go to Case, I'll have it pretty easy compared to Michigan or Columbia which really doesn't have many gadgets which Case has.

Michigan has a great sim-lab, what are you talking about that it doesn't compare to Case?

 

[HermeytheElf]

Do u think Sim Labs are important in deciding which schools to go?
I have no idea...
What u guyz think?

Your dentist didn't use sim lab technology in dental school. They learned how to cut preps on a dummy mounted to the bench and I think they turned out ok. My personal feeling is that they are a huge waste of money...money which could be better spent on hiring good faculty.

 

[HeMan]

So other than Case and Penn, who has Sim labs?