Sir, we read with great interest the letter from B. Dunphyproposing replacement of conventional teaching aids during the coronavirus pandemic.1 In various countries importance is being given to implementing the use of 3D virtual reality (VR) systems in health sciences. Here, a student utilises a digital system and VR glasses to monitor a patient and perform clinical examination procedures in a realistic virtual setting while being monitored by the teacher from a main cabin.2 VR teaching gives students the advantage of learning through trial and error without physically harming a patient.

Alternatively, in some universities in Latin American and European countries, it is common to pair haptic simulators with VR systems in stomatology. This consists of the use of technological equipment that reliably imitates the sensation of touch that the operator may experience when in contact with real objects without coming into physical contact with them. In this way, haptic simulators are being applied in the field of endodontics, restorative dentistry and dental prostheses, among others.

We believe that it is important to implement such haptic simulators systems as an alternative in all dental faculties to enable students with the development of skills in the clinical field while complying with social distancing measures throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.