A dentist in Japan is donning cosplay maid outfits for surgery in an attempt to make patients less scared about visiting for tooth treatment.
The Akiba Dental Clinic in Tokyo embraces characters from anime and manga and sees dentists dress up in typical cosplay to calm down their patients.
But although it’s unusual to see a hygienist wearing a maid’s uniform, Dr Joji Yukawa, the dentist and clinic director, explained the paid-for service will be the same.
He told soranews24: “I’m only using top-of-the-range equipment. It’s something I’ve been most careful about.
“I think there are quite a few people who are scared of dentists, to the extent that they have a phobia around dentistry.
“I thought it would help if they could have a good relationship with the staff. It would be nice if they could have a dentist who didn’t just check their teeth, but a dentist whom they could talk to as well.”
Doctor Yukawa explained the services on offer will include whitening, treatment for cavities and dental cleaning but is contemplating having specific services where customers can just visit staff in a maid uniform.
He added: “If people want to just talk, that would be irregular work that a normal dentist doesn’t offer, so I haven’t decided how to go about that just yet — it’ll be worked out during the opening process.”
The dentist surgery isn’t only unique in terms of staff uniforms, and it is set to stay open late into the night so they can cater to adults who normally work long hours.
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Yukawa hopes the unique business model can help people to overcome the notorious fear that a trip to the dentist can bring.
Its success was built on the concept of maid cafes that are already a big hit in the area.
Thousands of people are terrified of a trip to sort out their teeth – even the fiercest SAS soldiers, who would rather face the enemy’s gunfire than the dental chair.
Research revealed up to 30% of service personnel have a fear of going to the dentist, despite being brave enough to face deadly opposition in warzones.
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