Best in Category: Disrupting
Interaction Awards 2024
Dental anxiety is an issue that impacts over 60% of children between ages 6 and 12. Children who experience extreme fear of dentists would put their dental health at high risk. Forcing children to visit the dental office would further worsen their anxiety, leading to a negative cycle. DentrixBuddy offers a seamless service that aims to break the link between dental treatment and fear and, instead, train children to associate it with anticipation and trust.
The product consists of a VR game experience to be used in the dental office and an AR application that continues the narrative at home. The immersive VR game features a player fighting off cavity monsters using equipment that resembles dental tools. It blocks the loud sound and visions from the dental treatment while serving educational purposes.
The app then ensures children continue to care for their dental hygiene at home through an AR game, involving both the children and their parents in the experience. Through games, reward systems, and a dentist NPC, DentixBuddy turns dental anxiety into anticipation and builds trust between the child and their dentist.
