Tithi Paul,
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Dr. Molly Friedman
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Dr. Annie Dupuis, Statistician, Researcher
University of Toronto

Harshit Bokadia, Research Engineer
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Dr. Melanie Penner, Scientist and Researcher
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Dr. Azadeh Kushki, Scientist
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital 

Oral health is essential but it’s no secret that getting kids to the dentist is not typically a walk in the park. What can we do to make the visit better for kids with autism?

This Randomized Control Trial evaluates the effectiveness of a VR-based intervention compared to a social story approach in reducing pre-dental-visit anxiety and improving visit completeness in autistic children. While both interventions showed comparable outcomes in visit completeness and anxiety reduction, VR demonstrated a trend toward more positive behaviour and was well-received.