Pioneering VR-Assisted Paediatric Dentistry

The Challenge

Dental anxiety and procedural avoidance are significant challenges in paediatric dentistry. Many children experience stress and fear during routine dental appointments, leading to delays in treatment, with specialist appointment wait times stretching to 6–12 months. The reliance on sedation or general anaesthesia for anxious patients creates additional burden on the healthcare system. Perhaps most critically, negative early experiences can create associations that discourage preventative care throughout a patient's lifetime.

The Solution

Recognising Smileyscope's success in medical and hospital settings, A/Prof Mihiri Silva and her team sought to evaluate its potential in dental environments. Smileyscope was introduced as part of a pilot research program funded by the MRFF, focusing on young children aged 3–5. Implementation involved training paediatric dentists and dental staff in setup and use, then introducing the technology to patients. The team identified modifications needed for dentistry, including ensuring the patient's head remains still, adapting experiences for longer procedure durations of 20–45 minutes, and ensuring compatibility with nitrous oxide use where a mask is placed over the nose.

The Impact

The introduction of Smileyscope has shown strong potential to reduce dental anxiety in children during check-ups and minor procedures. By creating a calmer, more enjoyable experience, the technology encourages preventative visits and helps children build positive associations with dental care. Smileyscope complements nitrous oxide sedation for more efficient procedures, helping clinicians complete more work in a single session. Staff satisfaction has improved, with clinicians gaining a new tool to support positive, low-stress appointments.

Smileyscope is helping us move in the right direction. It makes visits calmer and supports more preventative care.

— A/Prof Mihiri Silva, Associate Professor in Paediatric Dentistry, Melbourne Dental School

Going Forward

Melbourne Dental School is continuing to evaluate Smileyscope as part of its broader innovation program. Areas of interest include mapping Smileyscope's value across dental specialties through department impact summaries, technical refinements such as tailoring headset fit, height, and infection control for dental use, expanding trials to include adult dental applications, and exploring health economics research on how Smileyscope can reduce sedation reliance and waiting lists.