Transforming how dentists are trained

Editor's note: This story originally appeared in the summer 2025 edition of the School of Dental Medicine magazine.

It’s early in the spring semester at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, and the newly renovated Simulation Clinic is alive with activity. Under bright overhead lights, rows of realistic manikins—complete with imitation lips, cheeks and built-in suction—are seated at workstations stocked with the latest in dental technology.

Even without real patients, the space hums like a busy dental practice. First-year student Ava Krensky and her classmates take turns drilling and refining foundational techniques—skills that, until recently, were practiced on much simpler setups.

“When you’re drilling, it feels almost like a real patient,” said Krensky, who is from Bethesda, Maryland. “It’s incredible how real it feels, especially for one of my first times using a handpiece.”

Opened in August, the $2.6 million facility—funded largely through philanthropy and in-kind donations—has also brought a major upgrade to the school’s preclinical curriculum. The new Simulation Clinic emphasizes extensive hands-on training with state-of-the-art tools that reflect evolving clinical practices.

“We’re determined to be at the forefront of dental education,” said Kenneth Chance, DDS (DEN ’79), dean of the School of Dental Medicine. “Our objective is to ensure our students are ready to deliver high-quality care from their very first day with patients.

A modern launching pad

Housed at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve and Cleveland Clinic, the dental school’s Simulation Clinic offers dedicated spaces where students practice procedures long before treating real people. In the primary training area, 82 advanced dental units—each outfitted with a programmable touchpad, overhead lighting and an operator stool—create a near-clinical environment.

At every station, high-tech manikins allow students to mount typodonts (simulated teeth) and operate electric motor handpieces—learning restorative, implant, endodontic and prosthodontic techniques in a setting that mirrors an actual operating room.

“This is one of the most advanced simulation clinics in the country,” said David Rolf, DMD, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of periodontics. “It’s a major step forward for the field, and we’re leading the way—preparing students for a future when tech like electric
handpieces are the norm.”

Until recently, preclinical dental students practiced on basic benchtop models—plastic teeth mounted on metal posts—that left much to be imagined. Today’s advanced manikins, equipped with a litany of lifelike features, integrated suction and foot pedals, allow students to build technical skills that more closely mirror actual patient care.

“Back in dental school, we made do with the materials we had; learning to be resourceful was part of the training,” said Tania Markarian, DDS, MSM (DEN ’97, MGT ’19), an assistant professor at the dental school who teaches in the clinic. “Now, the manikins bring us much closer to the experience of treating someone—it really eases the learning curve.”

The manikins recline just like a real dental chair, requiring students to adopt accurate angles and positions.

“This level of detail prevents shortcuts that wouldn’t work in actual patient care,” Markarian added.

The manikins also feature magnetically swappable teeth, so students can seamlessly switch from a root canal on an upper incisor to a crown prep on a lower molar in the same session. The soft cheeks and lips further challenge them to manage retraction, moisture and water spray.

“Learning to deal with water pooling or a fogged mirror—things they never faced with a simple plastic tooth—accelerates their readiness,” said Scott Pelok, DDS, an associate professor at the dental school.

Students also practice proper posture. Instead of bending over a desktop model, they sit upright, position themselves as they would with a real patient’s head, and adjust the overhead light for optimal visibility.

“This approach builds good ergonomic habits that will protect their backs and necks over their long careers,” said Pelok.

For Makayla Birrell, now in her second year, the ergonomic improvements over her first-year experience are evident.

“We have better stools and more accurate chair positions, so I’m not straining,” she said. “I go home less exhausted after a day in the lab.”

With less physical strain, she finds it easier to stay focused and engaged. In the afternoons, Birrell sometimes steps across the street to the main CWRU Dental Clinic to watch a classmate place a final restoration, then returns to the Simulation Clinic to practice those same techniques.

“Being able to observe and then immediately apply what I’ve seen makes a huge difference,” she said. “By the time I’m working with real patients, these steps will feel like
second nature.”

Third- and fourth-year students also use the Simulation Clinic to master skills they’ve observed in the main clinic.

Faculty often roam the rows of manikins, providing immediate critiques or demonstrating best practices.

“It’s a dynamic teaching loop,” said Pelok. “They can connect what they saw there with what they’re doing here; it helps them ask sharper questions and refine their approach.”

Centering the patient experience

While the Simulation Clinic is designed to build technical proficiency, it also reinforces the human side of dental medicine, helping students develop empathy and communication capabilities.

First-year student Molly Newman is drawn to how the lab combines precision with the profession’s personal side.

“Dentistry feels like solving a puzzle on a small scale,” said Newman, who is from the Chicago suburbs. “It’s careful problem-solving paired with building real connections with patients.”

Even with state-of-the-art technology, faculty emphasize that patient interaction is just as vital as technical expertise. By their third year, students are expected to enter clinical rotations with greater confidence—in both technical and interpersonal skills.

“We want dentists who can handle the drill but also connect with patients,” said Kristin Williams, DDS (DEN ’89; GRS ’05, public health), assistant dean for admissions and student affairs. “Once they’ve mastered the mechanics, they can focus on what truly matters: the person in the chair.”

In fact, the Simulation Clinic—and its ongoing integration into deeper parts of the curriculum—aims to reflect a broader shift in dental education toward a more patient-centered approach. Its mix of modern tools and techniques is also a draw for those considering the program.

“It helps us attract more of the best and brightest,” said Williams.

Stepping confidently into practice

Since opening at the start of the fall semester, the Simulation Clinic has become a hub of activity well beyond scheduled lab hours. Many students stay late—perfecting a crown margin, experimenting with digital scanning or practicing a complex procedure.

“Each scenario feels less intimidating as our first year goes along,” said Krensky. “That foundation will be a benefit when we’re treating patients depending on us.”

For Birrell, her imminent transition to hands-on patient care later this year will be smoother thanks to time spent in simulation.

“It all adds up—and prepares us for challenges that we’ll face soon,” she said of her fellow second-year students. “When we meet patients who need custom solutions, we won’t be
intimidated by the software or the tools.”

Faculty view students’ enthusiasm and commitment as proof of the clinic’s impact.

Rolf calls it “the ultimate training ground”—and a place “where students grow into the competent and compassionate dentists they’ve always aspired to be.”

School leaders also credit the clinic with accelerating student readiness. Dean Chance sees the facility as part of a larger transformation in dental medicine—what he calls a “renaissance” combining science, technology and human-centered care.

“When students walk into this space, the energy is palpable,” he said. “They’re using the same cutting-edge technologies used in the most advanced clinics—and building the skills and habits that always put patients first.”