Introduction
Advancements in clinical dentistry are vital for equipping undergraduate dental students with critical skills, especially in areas like Local Anesthesia (LA) administration in Oral Surgery. Precision and expertise are required for this task, prompting the need for innovative teaching methods. This study investigated the comparative effectiveness of Medium Fidelity Simulation (MFS) and Virtual Simulation (VS) methods in enhancing LA training skills for final-year dental students. The aim was to improve self-efficacy in performing LA procedures, ultimately enhancing patient safety and improving dental care quality.

Methodology
This Randomized Control Trial (RCT), conducted over five months at Isra Dental College, Hyderabad, compared MFS and Virtual Simulation for LA training in dentistry among 50 Final-Year Undergraduate Dental Students. Each group underwent a 2-week training period, assessed through 3D Model and Virtual Simulation Mobile App evaluations (utilizing validated questionnaires), followed by Real Patient Assessments. Data analysis utilized Comparative Analysis methods, including the Mann-Whitney U Test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, with a significance level of p < 0.05.

Results
The demographic analysis highlighted that 92.0% of the Virtual Simulation group and 80.0% of the MFS group utilized smartphones for daily learning, with 72.0% and 44.0%, respectively, spending 3-6 hours on mobile simulators. Regarding online training, 60.0% of both groups relied on YouTube. Clinically, the Virtual Simulation group outperformed significantly (mean ranks: 18.30 vs. 32.70, p < 0.001). Post-intervention, both groups showed increased self-efficacy in comfort (p < 0.001), user-friendliness (p = 0.046 vs. p = 0.002), and realism of 3-D images (p = 0.041 vs. p = 0.003), affirming Virtual Simulation's potential in dental education.

Conclusion
The study underscores Virtual Simulation's efficacy in enhancing LA skills and self-efficacy among final-year dental students, particularly via mobile apps. While MFS influences confidence, Virtual Simulation emerges as the superior and versatile teaching modality.