Eight times larger than the actual “dental model” that you can feel and
manipulate, developed particularly for people with visual impairment!
～Crowdfunding will start on November 8th (Good Tooth Day) aiming for
12 million yen/ Press conference will also be held～
[Press conference: Monday, November 8th, 10: 30-
@ Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita Campus, Osaka University]
The Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University has produced a set of “touchable dental model (movable, 8x)” of adult-size and child-size, and then will distribute it to 29 dental college hospitals and special-needs dentistry nationwide, and to about 70 schools for children with visual needs nationwide. We will distribute it free of charge to schools for the blind and support groups for people with visual impairment, in an effort to widely distribute the dental model to people with visually needs. Crowdfunding will start on November 8th (Monday) “Good Tooth Day”, to cover the costs of production and shipping. If the toothbrush does not touch the teeth in the right angle, it will leave plaque, resulting in cavities and periodontal disease. In a regular dental clinic, a patient would look into a hand mirror, and instruction on oral hygiene is provided while looking inside his or her mouth. However, the procedure is difficult for people with visual impairment. Therefore, freely moving the position of the model teeth with magnet attached on the bottom surface will effectively help provide oral hygiene education. The teeth alignment can be reproduced uniquely for each person, and the cast is made 8 times larger than the standard person’s teeth and surrounding tissues. We made our own large-size dental model. However, considering the small number of shipments, it is difficult for companies to commercialize. Therefore, we have decided to raise funds through crowdfunding. On the day of the start of crowdfunding, we will hold a press conference as follows, and at the same time, we will have patients with visual impairment receive toothbrush instruction using the prototype dental model.
Therefore, we would appreciate it if you could take notes of our news and attend the event.
[Date and time] November 8th (Monday) 10: 30-11: 30 (Opening 10:00)
[Place] Press conference (10: 30-): Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, F Building, 5th floor, Yumikura Memorial Hall Patient guidance (after the press conference): Special Examination Room on the 2nd floor of Building E, Faculty of Dentistry, the same university
[Interviewe r] Satoshi Imazato, the Dean of Graduate School of Dentistry, Yoshikazu Noda, the Mayor of Higashi Osaka, Keiko Koyagi, Lecturer, Shunpei Murakami Lecturer, Professor Motofumi Sogo
(This project is based on the “Dental Cooperation Agreement” concluded between
Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry and Faculty of Dentistry Hospital
and Higashi Osaka City in February 2018.)
[The overview of crowdfunding]
・[The overview of crowdfunding]
(Partnered from 2018)
URL : https://readyfor.jp/projects/handai-hamokei
・Final goal : 3 goals up to 12 million yen
(All or Nothing / donation deduction type)
・Period : 2021 November 8th (Mon) to December 24th (Fri)
・Free distribution to :
National Dental University Hospital/ Dental departments for patients with special needs: 29 facilities (10 sets for mailing from Osaka University) 69 schools for people with visual impairment. 20 support groups.
Contact for inquiries regarding this matter
(see the last page for application for press conference coverage)
Innovative Dentistry Promotion Center, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University
Center Director / Professor Motofumi Sogo
TEL: 06-6879-2228 (without fax)
E-mail: hamokei_cid@mll.dent.osaka-u.ac.jp
■Problems in “Toothpaste Guidance” for the Visually Impaired:
➡Two solutions:
(1) 8 times larger tooth model than the actual
(2) Free placement of teeth with magnet on the bottom (movable)
■What to make with this crowdfunding:
Children’s tooth model Adult tooth model
8 times larger tooth model
Growing teeth
(light blue)
■Voices of people with visual impairment and teachers at the schools for the blind:
・Kazunori Minamiya, the National Center for University Entrance Examinations
Through acquaintance with people at dental school, I had directed the making of the dental model. When the model was complete, you can appreciate in detail for the first time the difference of your own teeth from other people’s teeth. “I see, this is how your teeth and other people’s teeth are aligned.” The model received the 2017 Good Design Award.
（https://www.g-mark.org/award/describe/44767）
・Kojiro Hirose, National Museum of Ethnology
This dental model is very interesting to me as a researcher and as a person with visual needs myself, and as I navigate myself by tactile information. It would have been more helpful if I had this model that reproduces my teeth alignment when I was instructed how to brush on the other day at a dental clinic. It’s difficult to master how to brush my teeth in just one training session. I thought that if there was a place such as a dental university hospital that could lend to me a dental cast, I would be able to understand how to brush my teeth more effectively and protect my teeth better.
・A teacher for school for the blind, and school nurse at special-needs school.
At my school, I teach children and students how to brush their teeth on Caries Prevention Day. However, the model with perfect teeth alignment available in the school did not convey proper method of brushing actual teeth of each individual, and I felt the difficulty in instructing. However, with this movable 8x large dental model, the alignment of each child’s teeth can be reproduced with the magnet on the bottom of each tooth, and it can be instructed while touching each tooth. It was easy for the students to understand and follow personalized brushing instruction. I expect that hygiene education will be carried out more effectively.
■Ideas from clinical practice:
• Lecturer, Dental Treatment Department for Persons with Disabilities, Osaka University Dental Hospital Shunpei Murakami (Dentist)
We do our best to treat patients with disability every day, but in order to prolong the life and health of our teeth, not only our dental treatment but also daily toothbrushing at home is important. I have found some challenges in teaching proper toothbrushes to people with visual impairment.
• Keiko Koyagi (Dental Technician), Lecturer, Dental Technician School, Faculty of Dentistry, Osaka University
After listening to Professor Murakami, I have been wondering if there was a way for people with visually impairment to receive more effective tooth brushing instruction with my specialty to design dentures and coverings. By attaching a magnet to the bottom side, various tooth arrangements are possible, and an eight-fold larger dental model is now available.
• Motofumi Sogo (Dentist), Professor, Innovative Dentistry Promotion Center, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University
In February 2019, Professor Koyagi presented this matter at the event “Clinical Needs Presentation” held on the day when the Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry and Dental Hospital signed a “dental cooperation agreement” with local governments such as Higashi Osaka City. After the announcement, when asked, “companies will hear the story, but the model cannot be mass-produced (it will not be commercialized), which is not a business considering the expected number and price”. Considering social contribution aiming for equal opportunities for all patients brought by the clinical field of dentistry, I thought the crowdfunding was the most appropriate.
■Production request:
• Osaka University Scientific Equipment Renovation and Work Support Center
• Three manufacturing companies in Higashi Osaka City: Okuma Kouri Co., Ltd., Mizuno Seisakusho Co., Ltd., etc.
■About crowdfunding (details):
[Title] I want to contribute to “healthy mouth” by communicating oral information to people with visual impairment.
URL：https://readyfor.jp/projects/handai-hamokei
FB： https://www.facebook.com/hamokei8
[Organizer] Osaka University x READYFOR Co., Ltd.
[Main member]
Keiko Koyagi: Lecturer (Dental Technician), Dental Technician School, Faculty of Dentistry, Osaka University Shunpei Murakami: Lecturer (Dentist), Department of Dental Treatment for Persons with Disabilities, Osaka University Dental Hospital
Motofumi Togawa: Director/ Professor (Dentist), Center for Promotion of Innovative Dentistry, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University
[Period] 2021 November 8th (Monday) to December 24th (Friday)
[Use of funds]
・ Cost of making about 130 sets of dental models
(of adult-size and child-size which include 32 growing teeth)
・ Shipping costs to 120 locations nationwide (including packaging)
[Free distribution to]
(1) National Faculty of Dentistry/ Dental University Hospital (hereinafter abbreviated as Dental Disease). All 29 Hospitals/ Dental Departments for Persons with Disabilities
(2) Schools for the blind: of 67 schools that request
(3) Support groups: Approximately 20 groups
[Goal] Three steps up to 12 million yen
・ First goal: 10 dental hospitals・ Dental clinics and departments for people with disability + about 30 schools for the blind
(Distribution destination: about 40 places)
・ Second goal: 29 dental hospitals nationwide + about 40 schools for the blind (Distribution destination: cumulative total of about 70 locations)
・ Third goal: 29 hospitals nationwide + about 70 schools for the blind nationwide + about 20 support groups （Distribution destination: about 120 places in total)
＋ Extra 10 sets of stock at Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry so that you can rent by mail
■To attend the press conference; please go to the site below.
- “Detailed information” will be sent to the contact information you applied for by e-mail at a later date.
- Please refrain from visiting if you are in poor physical condition such as having a fever.
- Be sure to wear a mask inside the building and disinfect your hands when entering the room.
A dental model (movable, 8 times larger than the actual size) that you can feel and manipulate by tactile helps improve the oral hygiene of people with visual needs.
[Editor: Faculty of Dentistry / Graduate School of Dentistry, updated on October 25, 2021]
The Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University has produced a set of “touchable dental model (movable, 8x)” of adult-size and child-size, and then will distribute it to 29 dental college hospitals and special-needs dentistry nationwide, and to about 70 schools for children with visual needs nationwide. We will distribute it free of charge to schools for the blind and support groups for people with visual impairment, in an effort to widely distribute the dental model to people with visually needs. Crowdfunding will start on November 8th (Monday) “Good Tooth Day”, to cover the costs of production and shipping. If the toothbrush does not touch the teeth in the right angle, it will leave plaque, resulting in cavities and periodontal disease. In a regular dental clinic, a patient would look into a hand mirror, and instruction on oral hygiene is provided while looking inside his or her mouth. However, the procedure is difficult for people with visual impairment.
Therefore, freely moving the position of the model teeth with magnet attached on the bottom surface will effectively help provide oral hygiene education. The teeth alignment can be reproduced uniquely for each person, and the cast is made 8 times larger than the standard person’s teeth and surrounding tissues. We made our own large-size dental model. However, considering the small number of shipments, it is difficult for companies to commercialize. Therefore, we have decided to raise funds through crowdfunding.
See below for the full press release.