Healthy Teeth — interactive educational toy for children before a dentist visit
Brief description of the project
Healthy Teeth is an interactive educational toy designed for dental clinic waiting areas. It offers children a clear and practical way to learn how to brush their teeth, replacing complex and ineffective informational leaflets. The interactive format encourages active engagement, making waiting time not only more engaging but also meaningful. This approach improves the overall dental visit experience and promotes healthy habits in the long term. To remind children of the acquired knowledge after the visit, the designer has also developed an informative dental floss box — a scaled-down version of the toy that repeats its vivid visual identity. The box allows the floss spool to be inserted and replaced while serving as a daily reminder of proper oral hygiene in a child-friendly, accessible form.
Originality and creativity of the idea
Although today most dental clinics are renovated and aesthetically pleasing, they often lack information that is understandable, accessible, and engaging for children. The developed design object serves as an alternative to traditional informational brochures or texts that may seem complex and difficult for children to comprehend. This approach fosters a more positive experience during dental visits and makes waiting time not only more engaging but also more educational. The toy’s design promotes children’s and society’s understanding of the importance of tooth brushing and the need to care for oral hygiene from an early age. The toy is intended to be placed in the clinic’s waiting area, providing both meaningful engagement and an educational experience. During waiting time, when a child may feel anxious or restless, the toy creates a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, allowing them to acquire basic knowledge about how to care for their teeth to keep them clean and healthy.
Definition of the problem and the relevance of the applied solutions
By observing children’s behavior in dental clinics, I concluded that before their appointments children are often anxious, full of energy, or very curious and eager to explore their surroundings. Parents are frequently occupied with administrative tasks at reception, so children are often given a mobile device as a distraction, the content of which is usually purely entertaining. My goal in developing this toy is to create an interactive product for dental clinic waiting areas that educates children through play and informs society about the importance of tooth brushing for overall health and a better quality of life. It also aims to promote understanding among children and parents of correct tooth-brushing principles, which are often forgotten or undervalued in the rush of everyday life.
Co-creation, stakeholder involvement and cooperation during the realisation process
The product was developed in consultation with dental hygienists and dentists from the «Dentin Praxis» clinic to better understand user needs and create a solution suitable for children. The interactive educational toy will be placed in the waiting area next to the children’s corner, welcoming young patients before their appointment. It makes learning accessible, engaging, and interactive, while also giving parents time to handle formalities and providing children with a positive experience. This collaboration with clinic staff ensured that the product meets real needs, encouraging children’s engagement, interest in oral hygiene, and the acquisition of practical knowledge.
Functionality and technological solutions
The toy is intended to be installed as an interactive information stand on the wall of a dental clinic waiting area, making learning accessible and engaging. It includes a set of game tools and elements: a 2-minute hourglass, a toothbrush, dental floss, a stamp that glows under ultraviolet light, and an element with candy graphics that visualizes how food affects teeth and forms plaque after eating. These elements allow children to easily understand how food choices impact dental health and why it is important to brush teeth for a sufficient amount of time, as bacteria are not always visible on teeth.
Aesthetics and other experiential dimensions
«Healthy Teeth» is a stylized representation of the oral cavity. Although the toy is not anatomically precise, it features a bright and playful visual design that attracts children’s attention and encourages them to explore it further. The interactive elements enable children to learn essential oral hygiene principles in an informal way, creating a positive experience. The toy evokes associations with teeth, oral hygiene, and health, while offering a visually engaging and educational experience that promotes children’s involvement and motivation to care for their oral health in everyday life.
Economic significance, sustainability and circularity
The main materials used in the development of this product are aluminum and steel, which are recyclable and, when disposed of in appropriate waste containers, can be reused in other processes and new product manufacturing, promoting sustainable consumption and reducing waste. These metals have high durability and, combined with powder coating techniques, are also highly resistant to corrosion. The materials are suitable for the stand’s construction as they are durable, easy to clean, and safe — particularly important in a dental clinic where frequent cleaning and disinfection take place. Certain game elements, such as stamp ink, dental floss, or the toothbrush and its head, can be replaced, ensuring a high-quality and long-lasting solution that can withstand frequent use and the diverse behaviors of visiting children.
Social relevance, inclusion, availability and accessibility
Through the proposed toy design, the author aims to emphasize the importance of dental hygiene and the necessity of learning it from an early age. By learning proper hygiene steps, this knowledge becomes part of daily routine, helping children develop healthy habits for the future. What we learn in childhood stays with us throughout life. As a result, overall quality of life improves, as a healthy person feels confident and satisfied. Such individuals find it easier to integrate into society and communicate with peers as well as people from other generations. I am interested in further developing the product and its impact on a broader audience, as the use of interactive educational toys can help optimize the national healthcare system by reducing the resources required for treatment and prevention.
