Carillon Dental Care on Baxter Gate in Loughborough is piloting the new portable 3D V-pod distraction system, which has been developed over a number of years by Middlesbrough-based Amazing Interactives.
The system was originally designed to provide a visual distraction for children undergoing surgery in hospital and is now in regular use at more than 20 of the UK’s leading children’s hospitals, including Great Ormond Street in London, St James’ Hospital in Leeds and Alderhay Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.
Children confined to a hospital bed can enjoy a variety of interactive 3D games via a computer screen in front of them. Wearing 3D glasses they can interact with a whole host of activities and images, including teddy bears, bubbles and balloons using a mouse or joystick.
Having received positive feedback from both patients and medics, specialists at Amazing Interactives established that the system could also be beneficial to dental practices, which encounter similar problems with anxious youngsters and nervous adult patients.
A new dedicated system has now been developed and is aimed at helping children or nervous patients to relax during dental procedures. Using the same distraction techniques, patients can enjoy a selection of entertaining programmes in 3D projection on a portable screen from the treatment chair.
The portable 3D technology features everything from exciting rollercoaster rides and cartoons to capture the attention of children, to relaxing underwater scenes and woodland views to sooth nervous patients.
Commenting on the development of the new 3D distraction system, Pravin Jethwa, sales director at Amazing Interactives, said: “Our original system was developed after talking to consultants at hospitals across the UK and a whole range of software is now available, which is proving incredibly successful.”
“A slightly different model was required for dental practices as patients need to be fairly still during a check-up or treatment – therefore the programmes are not quite so interactive and are principally based on visualisation techniques, which enable patients to focus on other things during their appointment.”
“The same software can also be utilised to relieve stress in waiting rooms as it has been proved that the waiting element of the appointment can add to anxiety levels for both children and adults,” added Pravin.
Mohamed Kaderbhai, clinical lead at Carillon Dental Care, added: “We are delighted to have become the first dental practice in the UK to trial this innovative new technology, which is a world first in anxiety management.”
“At Carillon Dental Care, we are committed to providing our patients with the highest possible levels of patient care and are keen to trial any advances in new technology which will help make their experience at the practice more pleasurable.
“In the past it could be difficult to get children into the treatment chair; since the introduction of the new system, we can’t get them out of it!” added Mohamed.