Anxiety-free Public Dentistry for Adults with Disability: A Virtual Reality Feasibility Study
👤 Investigators
- Trung Dung Bui, Research Fellow, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University
- Libby Callaway, Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University
- Charmine Hartel, Associate Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics, Monash University
- Kadek Satriadi, Lecturer, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University
- Tanner Person, Research Fellow, Faculty of Business and Economics, Monash University
- Wei Wang, Research Fellow, Faculty of Business and Economics, Monash University
- Alice Urban, BAppSci, Director of Integrated Care and Dental, Peninsula Health
- Fiona McAlinden, MBM, Project Manager, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University
- Jonathan Bredin, Jonathan Bredin Inc., West Melbourne
💲 Funding details
- Monash Business School Interdisciplinary Research (IDR) SEED Fund
- AU$25000
🎓 Project Summary
This project brings together Monash faculties (Medicine, Business, IT), Peninsula Health Dental Services, a disability advocate, and partners at the Healthy Future Hub. It aligns with MATS priorities by exploring an under-researched area: the use of VR in dental care. The study will pilot SmileyScopeâ„¢, a low-cost, TGA-approved VR headset, in adult dental settings. While SmileyScopeâ„¢ has been used in hospitals to reduce anxiety and pain, it has not yet been tested in routine dentistry.
Key Aims
- Evaluate usability and acceptability of VR-assisted dental care for diverse adult populations, including people with disabilities.
- Assess dental staff readiness and experiences.
- Identify barriers and enablers for implementation (e.g., cost, efficiency, user experience).
- Analyse cost-effectiveness and treatment impacts.
- Propose sustainable models for integrating VR in public dental services.
This will be the first study of its kind in inclusive dental care, informing service design and improving patient experience. It will also strengthen the case for future MRFF and other Category 1 funding.