The University of Maryland Dental School has opened its doors in the online universe of Second Life, the first US dental school to do so. Second Life is a popular internet-based 3-D “virtual universe” with millions of registered users.
The virtual dental school is a three-story brick building with separate lab. Unlike its real-world counterpart in Maryland, this school is located on a sunny island.
This fall, the Second Life school will be a part of new student orientation.
“What’s most awesome about this is the ability to simulate activities-that may include greeting a new patient or taking a patient’s health history,” says Julie Gilliam, the program’s creator and an instructional technology specialist.