Dental clinics

A Friendlier Chair for the Injection Everyone Dreads

For many patients the local anaesthetic is the worst part of the visit, and the sight of the syringe is worse than the sting. SendorVR gives their attention somewhere else to be while you work, without changing how you work.

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A Friendlier Chair for the Injection Everyone Dreads

What Makes This Setting Hard

The syringe is the moment
Patients who cope with drilling often cannot cope with watching the needle approach. Taking that sight away changes the shape of the visit.
Dental anxiety keeps people away for years
Patients who avoid the dentist arrive with more to fix and more to fear. A visit that went better than expected is how that cycle breaks.
The chair itself is the problem
Lying back, mouth open, bright light overhead, someone leaning in. Immersion replaces the ceiling and the light with a calm world, and the patient's field of view with something they chose.

How SendorVR Fits the Workflow

No medication, no clinical intervention, and no change to how the procedure is done. Four steps, about thirty seconds of staff time.

1
Offer at check-in
A question on the medical history form or at reception: would you like to use the headset for your injection? Nervous patients say yes.
2
Fit before reclining
Headset on, experience started, then the chair goes back. The patient never sees the tray.
3
Anaesthetise and treat as usual
Topical, injection, short treatment. The patient can hear instructions and raise a hand as always.
4
Remove for the mirror, wipe, next patient
Take it off when you need the patient to see, or at the end. Wipe the cover and lenses and it is ready for the next room.

What the Research Says

SendorVR is a comfort aid, not a treatment, and it has not been trialled on its own. The published evidence below is what it is designed around. Every citation links to the original publication.

Experimental study · 2004
Stronger presence, the feeling of being inside the virtual world, was associated with greater reductions in reported pain during immersive VR.
Hoffman et al., University of Washington
Review · 2021
Interaction inside the virtual world helps sustain presence and attentional diversion, which is why a short experience needs something to do, not just something to watch.
Hoffman, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

Practical Details

About 30 seconds
Fit the headset, tap start, carry on.
Any staff member
Kiosk mode, one app, nothing to configure.
Wipe and go
Wipeable face cover and cleaning kit included.
Ages 10 and up
Follows the headset maker's guidance.
Always optional
Patients choose; some prefer to watch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the headset get in the way of the dentist?

The headset sits on the forehead and over the eyes, well clear of the mouth and nose. Dentists work around it as they would around glasses, and it comes off in seconds if you need the patient to see.

Can the patient still hear me?

Yes. The audio is gentle and can be lowered or turned off, and patients respond normally to instructions. They can raise a hand as usual.

Is it only for the injection?

Most practices use it for the anaesthetic and for short treatments such as fillings and hygienist visits. It is not designed for long procedures where you need frequent eye contact.

What about hygiene in a dental setting?

The Clinical Kit includes a wipeable face cover and a cleaning kit, and the headset surfaces take standard clinical wipes. Clean it between patients as you would any shared surface.

Is there evidence for VR in dentistry?

There are small studies of VR distraction during dental treatment, mostly in children, alongside the broader VR distraction literature for needle procedures. SendorVR has not been trialled in dental settings; it is offered as a comfort aid.