Dentist drill plays music to relax young patients

A dentist in Indonesia has created a musical drill that aims to comfort kids undergoing dental treatment.

Medical procedures aren’t often the most pleasant of experiences and helping a patient to feel at ease can make all the difference, especially for children. We’ve already seen the Caring MR Suite enable those undergoing brain scans to customize their environment, and now a dentist in Indonesia has created a musical drill that aims to comfort kids undergoing dental treatment. Developed by Dr Dhanni Gustiana, a practicing dentist in the Central Java province, the modified drill is fitted with an mp3 player and flashing lights, while toys are attached to the handle. According to reports, a small speaker plays music directed towards the patient, with the sounds becoming amplified for the child when their mouth is open. The dentist has loaded some popular tracks onto the mp3 player, although children can request to play their own music. The sounds mean that the child cannot hear the high-pitched wail of the dentist’s drill and have a distraction to help them forget about the procedure taking place. This helps both the patient to feel comfortable and the dentist to carry out their work more easily. Although the device is currently a one-off, the modifications cost around IDR 6 million and could inspire similar creations. The following video shows the drill in action: Although designed to be used for children, it is likely many adult patients dreading their next trip to the dentist would also welcome such an innovation, and Dr Gustiana has already received requests from adults. How else could patients’ fears be put to rest when undergoing medical treatment? Spotted by: Murray Orange