Dentist practises on first patient

Second year dentist students from King's College London practise their drilling technique on an award-winning virtual reality work station.

The device, called HapTEL (haptics in technology enhanced learning), received the excellence in education innovation award at the Medical Futures ceremony earlier this month.

It lets the student feel the difference between drilling hard enamel and softer decayed tooth and helps them learn how much pressure is needed.

The project is a collaboration between dentists from Guy's Hospital, technical developers from Reading University and Birmingham City University, and e-learning professionals from King's College London.