{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,13]],"date-time":"2026-01-13T07:35:35Z","timestamp":1768289735642,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,1]],"date-time":"2021-04-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1617235200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Computers"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The COVID-19 pandemic has forced faculties including dental schools into a \u2018new normal\u2019, where the adoption of remote or distance learning is required to minimise the risk of infection. Synchronous learning historically was favoured due to the perceived advantage of \u2018real time\u2019 interactions between instructors and learners; these interactions are not always possible in asynchronous settings. However, serious games can overcome this limitation of asynchronous learning. This integrative review explores the literature on serious games in dental education, to construct a conceptual framework of their strengths in this pandemic. Following consideration of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 articles on 11 serious games designed for dental education were included in this review. Our investigation points to an increase in the use of serious games since 2018. The findings of the review support the use of serious games in dental education during the recent crisis. Key strengths include positive educational outcomes, enhanced engagement and motivation, interactive asynchronous distance learning, a safe learning environment, and the advantage of stealth assessment. Consequently, the \u2018new normal\u2019 in education appears to support a very promising future for serious games, particularly in dental education. A conceptual framework is proposed to inform further research across all education settings and timeframes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/computers10040042","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,1]],"date-time":"2021-04-01T07:23:17Z","timestamp":1617261797000},"page":"42","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":37,"title":["Serious Games and the COVID-19 Pandemic in Dental Education: An Integrative Review of the Literature"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3264-1553","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kawin","family":"Sipiyaruk","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand"}]},{"given":"Stylianos","family":"Hatzipanagos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Distance Education, University of London Centre for Distance Education, London WC1B 5DN, UK"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9185-4161","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Patricia A.","family":"Reynolds","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Dentistry, Oral &amp; Craniofacial Sciences, King\u2019s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK"}]},{"given":"Jennifer E.","family":"Gallagher","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Dentistry, Oral &amp; Craniofacial Sciences, King\u2019s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"496","DOI":"10.1080\/01421590050110786","article-title":"The marvelous medical education machine or how medical education can be \u2018unstuck\u2019 in time","volume":"22","author":"Friedman","year":"2000","journal-title":"Med. 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