Why Dental Education Needs a Tech-Driven Revolution

Editor’s Note: This article was updated in August 2025 to incorporate further insight.

The technology that supports dental education is constantly reaching new heights of sophistication and efficacy. But are dental schools taking full advantage of the tech-enhanced tools, platforms, and resources at their disposal?

Recent research suggests this certainly isn’t always the case, and it’s not limited to the U.S., either.

An article from The Royal College of Surgeons of England’s Faculty Dental Journal points out that while students now have access to technology that enables a more immersive and personalized approach, academic staff now need to adapt to keep pace.

Keep reading to discover:

Why adopting new learning technologies is a vital practice for successful institutions in the age of Education 4.0

What common barriers to adoption look like

What the rewards look like for institutions that surmount those barriers

The Need for Digital Transformation in Dental Education

Dental education is far from the only discipline facing pressures to modernize. In fact, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has set forward an entire taxonomic framework for Education 4.0: a concept that marries today’s technological backdrop with the content it feels learners should embrace for building the skills that matter.

Education 4.0 emphasizes personalized, self-paced, and technology-driven learning experiences that equip students with the skills required in a tech-centric world. It focuses on blending traditional teaching methods with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality.

For dental education, this transformation is critical: not only to meet the expectations of digitally native students, but to make sure that teaching strategies mirror the technological standards underpinning today’s subject matter.

GET THE FULL RUNDOWN ON EDUCATION 4.0 | ‘How Education 4.0 is Transforming Healthcare Learning’

The High Stakes of Teaching and Learning Dentistry in the Age of Education 4.0

Healthcare disciplines, including dentistry, have undergone significant changes in recent years, with innovations such as AI-powered diagnostic tools, 3D printing, and CAD/CAM systems revolutionizing patient care.

But the technological growth of the field as a whole isn’t necessarily mirrored in dental education. Many programs still rely on what might be considered outdated teaching methods, such as didactic lectures and physical models, that run the risk of failing to comprehensively prepare students for the clinical landscape.

Recent studies suggest that dental graduates are leaving their universities insufficiently equipped with the practical skills they need to perform confidently in all aspects of their roles. This was raised in a General Dental Council report in 2020, which associated lack of preparedness with complex skills where opportunities for practice are limited, and further supported by a wide-ranging 2024 study in BMC Medical Education, which found gaps in areas like the management of geriatric patients.

The reasons for this can no doubt be attributed to a raft of factors beyond institutional control, especially when it comes to the physical limitations that come hand in hand with clinic time, simulation labs, and general chairside experience.

But when modern learning technologies are able to mitigate some of those limitations and offer new ways to bridge the gap between theory and the practice dental students need, it’s essential for institutions to incorporate these technologies into their training, or risk producing graduates who aren’t entirely prepared for the demands of modern practice.

The Challenges Involved in Dental Digital Transformation

In a recent Immersify webinar, Dr JoAnn Gurenlian (ADHA) pointed out that, in dentistry and dental hygiene alike, the embrace of new learning technologies has to be balanced against a huge range of competing factors (or, at least, factors that can compete, depending on the platforms and resources involved).

As she rightly noted, dental curricula are not only rigid, but beholden to standards like CODA and accompanied by a set of educators who are often busy or unfamiliar with complex tech.

This doesn’t mean learning technology is off the table, nor that it can’t sit alongside (or even mitigate) some of these contextual factors. But institutions looking to modernize their teaching capabilities may benefit from asking:

Will this platform feel familiar to educators and students?

Does it offer content in alignment with CODA standards?

Can this platform slot directly into our curriculum?

When a piece of technology can pass this simple set of criteria, the principles of Education 4.0 are transformed from a set of somewhat lofty targets into an entirely achievable prospect: one that can be achieved in ways that gel with existing infrastructure and understandably wary academics. And, given the rewards involved, there are compelling reasons to do so.

MORE ON INTEGRATING LEARNING TECHNOLOGY INTO YOUR CURRICULUM | ‘Fitting the Pieces Together: 3 Easy Ways to Embed Pre-Mapped Learning Technology into Core Modules’

Education 4.0 in Action: Personalized, Self-Paced, and Flipped Learning

Even if Education 4.0’s principles feel achievable in practice, and even if they’re supported by the right resources and EdTech partners, the proof is in the pudding (or, in deference to the dental field, a sugar-free alternative).

Fortunately, there's plenty of evidence highlighting the power of the pacing, adaptability, and indeed the practical skills development that the right platform will supply dental students.

Take simulation, for example, through the use of virtual, mixed, or augmented reality. These tools are prime examples of the technology-driven learning championed by Education 4.0, and they’re also a key means of helping to mitigate any gaps in students’ hands-on skills training, supplying the practice and confidence required to maximize chairside time.

According to a 2024 meta-analysis published in Advances in Simulation, these technologies have largely been found to have positive effects on learning outcomes, making them “promising tools for enhancing health professions education, especially for training surgical and anatomical skills.”

And this is perhaps the most significant argument in favour of a continued move toward tech-enhanced learning in the dental space: it works.

MORE ON LEARNING TECH EFFICACY AND RELATED PEDAGOGIES | ‘Does Digital Simulation-Based Learning Actually Work? What the Evidence Says For Healthcare Education’ | ‘5 Benefits of Flipped Learning for Universities and Colleges’

Steps to Embrace Education 4.0

For deans and senior leaders, transitioning to Education 4.0 begins with assessing current programs to identify areas where technology can enhance learning outcomes. This was the approach taken by UCLA when it integrated Immersify into a prescriptions-based module that was experiencing a dip in grades.

Partnering with EdTech providers can introduce scalable and cost-effective solutions tailored to dental education. Institutions can start with pilot programs, such as integrating augmented reality-based simulations into preclinical training and expand based on results and feedback.

Equally crucial is investing in faculty development. Empowering educators with the resources, training, and support they need will ensure that technology is seamlessly integrated into the curriculum, particularly when this commitment to innovation is paired with a platform that comes pre-aligned to your curriculum for straightforward implementation.

MORE ON INTEGRATING LEARNING TECH INTO YOUR PROGRAM | ‘Learning Technology and Curriculum Delivery: Help or Hindrance?’

Shaping the Future With Immersify

By adopting the ideas behind Education 4.0, dental schools can position themselves at the forefront of educational innovation. This approach not only enhances student outcomes but also strengthens the reputation of institutions as leaders in preparing the next generation of dental professionals.

For senior educators and decision-makers, the opportunity is clear: embrace this tech-driven revolution to transform dental education and shape the future of the profession. Education 4.0 isn’t just a framework for progress - it’s a pathway to excellence in a world defined by change.

To see how Immersify can help improve outcomes, meet modern learner needs, and strengthen your reputation as an educational innovator, book a conversation with us via the button below.

Why Dental Education Needs a Tech-Driven Revolution?