Solent NHS Trust Special Care Dental Service enhances patient experience with virtual tours
Solent NHS Trust has partnered with Autek CIC to introduce virtual tours, enabling service users and their families to familiarise themselves with the dental environment before their visit.
Day to day, Solent’s Special Care Dental Service provides personalised dental care for individuals with additional needs who may face barriers in accessing general dental services.
Solent’s collaboration with Autek CIC, an inclusive technology company, further bridges the gap and provides a more inclusive dental experience for all – both ahead of and during their visits.
Autek CIC's virtual tours which have been filmed recently, comprise of 360° images of the inside and outside of one of Solent’s dental sites. This solution particularly allows patients and their families to explore different rooms, waiting areas, and facilities within the dental practice. By providing an opportunity to virtually navigate the dental environment, Solent’s highly skilled dental team and Autek CIC are empowering patients and their families to feel more confident and prepared for appointments and treatment.
Clinical Director of the Special Care Dental Service at Solent NHS Trust, Caroline Frolander, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership. She shared: “In providing dental care for people with additional needs, we recognise that attending our clinics for the first time can be unsettling. Information given in advance of an appointment, such as easy read guides can help prepare people so that they feel more comfortable when they come and see us.
“We have been proud to work with Autek CIC to create videos to support and enhance access for people using our services. Patients and those supporting them can learn about what to expect from us as we open the conversation about how we can best support people to have the best possible dental experience.”
Director of Autek CIC, Dr. Steve Bond, shared his excitement about the collaboration. He explained : “We have meticulously designed videos and virtual tours with input and guidance from individuals who share similar experiences of anxiety. Our goal is to assist these individuals in confidently preparing themselves to access the kind, supportive, and inclusive treatment offered by Solent’s Specialist Dental service.”
Discover more about Solent’s Specialist Dental service. Also view the virtual tour video.