Designing a preschoolers first dental experience

CHALLENGE

The oral health of a child at age five is often indicative of oral health as an adult and as such it is essential that our most impressionable members of society be given the best start and support possible. Mobile dental clinics help facilitate this vision by exposing a greater number of pre-schoolers to oral healthcare. For many children these clinics are their first encounter with professional oral health care services. In terms of shaping a child’s attitude and beliefs towards the medical profession throughout their lives, it is critical that their early experiences are positive.

APPROACH

This research project used Design Thinking approaches to re-imagine the Auckland District Health Board (ADHB) mobile dental clinic service. The project aimed to improve the experience of preschool age children, caregivers and health professionals. Design Thinking and Service Design were used as overarching methodologies, to explore and identify key service touch points, and to then drive the transformation toward a more engaging and positive mobile dental clinic experience for all user groups. The recognition and appeasement of the child’s point of view is a theme consistent throughout all aspects of this project and is crucial for the adoption and long-term success of this service. The project focused on two key interventions with the mobile dental clinic service, a redesign of the enrollment form and the mobile dental van interior.

OUTCOME

This practice based research project demonstrated that by applying Design Thinking and Service Design to redesign user experiences, these experiences can be enhanced and improved for all. In the case of mobile dental clinics this may then lead to improved oral health care outcomes for pre-school children.