{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T12:56:25Z","timestamp":1791204985160,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"Wiley","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791158400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791158400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000002","name":"National Institutes of Health","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["1R41DA059281"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1R41DA059281"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000002","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Journal of Dental Education"],"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Purpose\/Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Immersive educational technologies, including applications of artificial intelligence in education (AIED), are increasingly used to develop clinical skills in health professions education. This study evaluated the feasibility and perceived value of integrating an artificial intelligence (AI)\u2010enabled virtual patient platform into a required first\u2010year dental medicine course and explored AI\u2010assisted analysis of student interview transcripts.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Seventy\u2010eight first\u2010year Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) students completed three faculty\u2010developed virtual patient interviews aligned with course objectives. Students then completed a voluntary survey assessing usability, learning experience, and engagement\/motivation on a 5\u2010point Likert scale, along with preferences for interaction modality and avatar style. Exploratory qualitative analyses of interview transcripts were conducted across six domains: empathy, professionalism, thoroughness, attention to behavioral health, interview skill, and potential bias by race\/sex. Descriptive statistics summarized responses.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Mean ratings were high for usability (\n                      <jats:italic>M<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 4.22, SD = 0.24), learning experience (\n                      <jats:italic>M<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 4.47, SD = 0.09), and engagement\/motivation (\n                      <jats:italic>M<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 4.42, SD = 0.04). For avatar preference, 33% of students preferred realistic avatars, 22% preferred cartoon avatars, and 45% had no preference; most (89%) preferred text\u2010based over voice\u2010based interaction. Exploratory analysis of 217 transcripts suggested generally strong performance with identifiable areas for improvement, including subtle differences in rapport by patient race and sex.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>These findings support the feasibility and perceived value of AI\u2010enabled virtual patient simulation in early dental education. Controlled studies are needed to evaluate effects on learning outcomes and skill development relative to existing instructional approaches.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/jdd.70394","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T12:42:07Z","timestamp":1791204127000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["AI\u2010Powered Virtual Patients in Health Professions Education: Learner Engagement and Knowledge Application"],"prefix":"10.1002","author":[{"given":"Jeffrey J.","family":"Borckardt","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Medical University of South Carolina  Charleston South Carolina USA"},{"name":"College of Dental Medicine Medical University of South Carolina  Charleston South Carolina USA"},{"name":"Office of Interprofessional Initiatives Medical University of South Carolina  Charleston South Carolina USA"},{"name":"Palmetto Innovative Education, LLC  Mount Pleasant South Carolina USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Debra E.","family":"Henninger\u2010Borckardt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Medical University of South Carolina  Charleston South Carolina USA"},{"name":"Palmetto Innovative Education, LLC  Mount Pleasant South Carolina USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Joe","family":"Vuthiganon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Dental Medicine Medical University of South Carolina  Charleston South Carolina USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dusti","family":"Annan\u2010Coultas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Office of Interprofessional Initiatives Medical University of South Carolina  Charleston South Carolina USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lisa","family":"Langdale","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Office of Interprofessional Initiatives Medical University of South Carolina  Charleston South Carolina USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kimberly","family":"Kascak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Office of Interprofessional Initiatives Medical University of South Carolina  Charleston South Carolina USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lindsey","family":"Hamil","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Dental Medicine Medical University of South Carolina  Charleston South Carolina USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_9_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4103\/0974\u20102700.70743"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_9_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.4103\/1319-1683.68787","article-title":"Simulation\u2010Based Medical Teaching and Learning","volume":"17","author":"Al\u2010Elq A. H.","year":"2010","journal-title":"Journal of Family and Community Medicine"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.15694\/mep.2020.000036.1"},{"issue":"4","key":"e_1_2_9_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"330","DOI":"10.1002\/msj.20127","article-title":"The Utility of Simulation in Medical Education: What Is the Evidence?","volume":"76","author":"Okuda Y.","year":"2009","journal-title":"Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365\u20102923.37.s1.9.x"},{"issue":"8","key":"e_1_2_9_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.patter.2023.100788","article-title":"Toward Human\u2010Level Concept Learning: Pattern Benchmarking for AI Algorithms","volume":"4","author":"Frolov A.","year":"2023","journal-title":"Patterns"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s42979\u2010021\u201000815\u20101"},{"issue":"5","key":"e_1_2_9_9_1","article-title":"Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare Simulation: The Shifting Landscape of Medical Education","volume":"16","author":"Hamilton A.","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"issue":"9","key":"e_1_2_9_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.3390\/ai6090227","article-title":"Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education: A Narrative Review on Implementation, Evaluation, and Methodological Challenges","volume":"6","author":"Roveta A.","year":"2025","journal-title":"AI"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_9_11_1","first-page":"21","article-title":"Exploring the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Teaching and Higher Education","volume":"12","author":"Popenici S. A. D.","year":"2017","journal-title":"Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1177\/23821205221091511","article-title":"Implementing Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle by Linking Real Experience, Case\u2010Based Discussion and Simulation","volume":"9","author":"Wijnen\u2010Meijer M.","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/ACM.0b013e318217e119"},{"issue":"27","key":"e_1_2_9_14_1","article-title":"The Impact of Simulation\u2010Based Training in Medical Education","volume":"103","author":"Alowais S. A.","year":"2024","journal-title":"Medicine"},{"issue":"22","key":"e_1_2_9_15_1","first-page":"2302","article-title":"Enhancing Clinical Reasoning With Virtual Patients: A Hybrid Systematic Review Combining Human Reviewers and ChatGPT","volume":"12","author":"Pinto Coelho G.","year":"2024","journal-title":"Healthcare"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/58753"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/71667"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909\u2010024\u201006236\u2010x"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nedt.2026.107008"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909\u2010022\u201003474\u20109"},{"issue":"10","key":"e_1_2_9_21_1","article-title":"The Evolution From Standardized to Virtual Patients in Medical Education","volume":"16","author":"Hamilton A.","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2024.2181"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-024-06319-9","article-title":"Implicit Bias Assessment by Career Stage in Medical Education Training: A Narrative Review","volume":"25","author":"Crump A.","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Medical Education"}],"container-title":["Journal of Dental Education"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/jdd.70394","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1002\/jdd.70394","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/jdd.70394","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T12:42:10Z","timestamp":1791204130000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/jdd.70394"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]]},"references-count":22,"alternative-id":["10.1002\/jdd.70394"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/jdd.70394","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0022-0337","1930-7837"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0022-0337","type":"print"},{"value":"1930-7837","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-10-17","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-09-14","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-10-05","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"jdd.70394"}}