Virtual Reality Exposure for Dental Fear

NCT ID: NCT06494176

Last Updated: 2025-12-18

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

250 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-08-09

Study Completion Date

2027-12-31

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to compare an intervention for dental fear to the usual approach (i.e., whatever your dentist typically does to help you manage fear) in reducing patient fear and making dentist appointments more tolerable. The dental fear intervention (called neVR Fear the Dentistâ„¢) has two separate steps. Step 1 involves using a mobile app that is based on research-backed approaches to handling dental fear on your smartphone or device. Step 2 is a 1-hour self-administered virtual reality intervention to be completed in the dental office.

This is a randomized study. Participants will be randomized to either the intervention group or an active control.

Investigators hypothesize that participants in the intervention condition will show greater declines in self-reported dental fear and improved oral health-related quality of life during post-treatment and follow-up period.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Dental Fear

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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VRET Intervention

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

neVR Fear the Dentist

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

neVR Fear the DentistTM comprises two major evidence-based interventions. First is a self-administered eHealth app for CBT/ psychoeducation with exposure therapy - delivered via a mobile tablet - that can be completed anywhere. Second is a 1-hr virtual reality exposure treatment (VRET).

Active Control

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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neVR Fear the Dentist

neVR Fear the DentistTM comprises two major evidence-based interventions. First is a self-administered eHealth app for CBT/ psychoeducation with exposure therapy - delivered via a mobile tablet - that can be completed anywhere. Second is a 1-hr virtual reality exposure treatment (VRET).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Be at least 13 years of age
2. Report dental fear of 4 or higher on a scale of 0-10 on the Gatchel dental fear item
3. Be able and willing to comply with study procedures
4. Provide a signed and dated informed consent form
5. Proficient in English because the intervention is in English
6. Have access to a smartphone or tablet
7. If self-referred, have a dental appointment already scheduled with their own dentist.
8. If self-referred, live in the NYC metro area or are willing to travel to the NYU College of Dentistry.
9. If self-referred, have access to an Oculus headset and live in the U.S.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Uncorrected, severe, or profound hearing or visual impairment such as stereoscopy blindness or nystagmus
2. Diagnosed with any of the following psychiatric conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to dental trauma, Major Neurocognitive Disorder (Dementia), Schizophrenia, or Intellectual Disability
3. Current diagnosis of a balance disorder, such as vertigo
4. Lifetime history of cybersickness
5. Previous history of epileptic seizures
6. A history of cardiac problems
7. Are in pain, require urgent care, or whose necessary treatment will be delayed by participating in the study
Minimum Eligible Age

13 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Virtually Better, Inc.

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role collaborator

New York University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Richard Heyman, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

New York University

Locations

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New York University

New York, New York, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Jennifer Piscitello, PhD

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 917-267-8041

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Jennifer Piscitello, Ph.D

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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s23-00772

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id