UK researchers take anxious dental patients on a virtual trip to the beach to calm nerves
Researchers from UK universities have been studying the impact of virtual reality settings on anxious dental patients. A team made up of researchers from Plymouth, Exeter and Birmingham universities discovered that taking patients on a virtual walk along Wembury Beach calmed nerves and reduced anxiety.
The team of researchers worked with patients and staff at Torrington Dental Practice in Devon to ascertain the impact of natural surroundings on anxiety levels in nervous patients. Patients who agreed to participate in the study were invited to wear goggles, which took them either to Wembury Beach or on a wander around an unfamiliar city. A third group was treated under normal conditions without the involvement of virtual reality.
The findings of the study, which have been published in the Environment and Behaviour journal, show that people are likely to respond positively to natural surroundings, such as the beach. There was little evidence to show that being in an urban setting drastically improved anxiety levels.
Lead author of the study, Dr Karin Tanja-Dijkstra, said that virtual reality is a more common feature of medical environments these days, but more information was needed to determine whether or not is a significant role to play in a patient’s experience. This study demonstrates that in the right setting, in this case, a calming natural scene, virtual reality can be beneficial for both patients and dentists.
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