Directional Sound and Pediatric Dentistry?

Audio Spotlight touchless directional sound technology is playing a crucial role in maintaining a sanitary environment and occupying the attention of patients at the Deschutes Pediatric Dentistry center in Bend, Oregon. Holosonics’ partner and established audio-visual systems integrator, Audio Visual Bend, installed a ceiling mounted AS-168i speaker and video monitor directly above each of the 12 patient chairs in this pediatric dentistry office. With multiple children being treated several feet away from each other in an open space setting, each Audio Spotlight speaker beams focused sound directly at an individual patient without any sound bleeding into adjacent areas just a step or two away. 

The implementation of touchless directional sound at the facility allows the staff to conduct cleanings, treat cavities, and perform other dental procedures while children watch and listen to streaming Roku programming of their choice. 

Audio Visual Bend Commercial AV Designer Tony Sprando said that the facility’s owner, Steve Christensen, DMD, was eager to replace the unsanitary and cumbersome Bluetooth headphone system that was previously in use in his treatment rooms. 

Additionally, with ceiling-mounted video monitors and AS-168i Audio Spotlight speakers placed directly above horizontally staged examination chairs, the system was designed so that each patient’s head is positioned perfectly for the staff to conduct dental work.  

“After we finished the project and they began treating patients, Dr. Christensen and his team were really excited by the way the touchless directional audio and video provides a needed distraction for patients and that, simultaneously, the staff can converse with each other as well as children’s parents without anyone being drowned out by the audio,” Mr. Sprando said. “We’ve never done an installation like this before and Dr. Christensen was so happy with the results and the removal of unsanitary headphones from his practice that he wants us to duplicate this design in the two other offices that he owns.”

Mr. Sprando added that the Free Demo program offered by Holosonics played a key role in his decision to use Audio Spotlight directional sound for this project. By requesting a free, no-obligation demonstration, audio visual installers like Audio Visual Bend can receive an Audio Spotlight speaker for one week that can be used on a trial basis to test the speaker’s technology in the environment in which it will be implemented. 

“The demonstration of Audio Spotlight at the dental centre went very well. The client fully signed off on the entire project concept immediately after hearing a sample!” – Tony Sprando, AV Designer, Audio Visual Bend