Anyone who has ever experienced finals week knows how stressful the end of a semester can be. It’s why Madi O’Callaghan jumped at the chance to clear her mind for 10 minutes with a mindfulness meditation via advanced virtual reality (VR) technology.
As a Master of Public Health (MPH) and Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) dual-degree candidate, O’Callaghan is no stranger to the excitement offered by a dynamic school environment.
“By nature there are constant stressors in ‘doctor school’ while we hold ourselves to the highest of standards to perform and learn at an exceptional level,” she said.
As she works to become a compassionate provider, O'Callaghan has learned about the benefits mindfulness can bring to her practice.
“Prior to the VR experience I knew the value of mindfulness in my daily life, but that didn’t mean I always remembered to take the time for it,” she said.
“Students were calling for more support related to well-being and mental health as they were navigating the stresses of dental school,” said Michael Lampe, Ed.D., program director of digital education and academic technology at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine (CU SDM).
The school initially purchased VR headsets for training in simulated environments. However, Lampe and his team found the evidence supporting their use for mental health to be compelling. Research studies have shown that VR mindfulness programs are effective for students, with reports of reduced feelings of anxiety and increased feelings of relaxation and calm.
Lampe helped create a guided mindfulness experience using the VR headset to support the mental health of the CU Dental community.
Lampe designed the process to be as simple as possible for participants. They sign up via email at a time that works for them. Upon arrival, they complete a brief pre-session survey rating their levels of calm, comfort, tension and presence. Next, they choose a virtual environment that supports their idea of relaxation (beach, forest, mountains, etc.). Lampe makes sure the technology is functioning properly, then leaves the participant to watch a 360-degree video while enjoying a 10-minute guided breathing meditation. After the experience, the participant completes a post-session survey with the same questions.
Launched in early 2024, the pilot mindfulness VR program has reported positive results. Stress levels were measured on a scale of 0-10 before and after the experience. On average, participants reported a reduction in stress of 3.09 points. Additionally, they rated their satisfaction with the experience at 8.5 out of 10.
Lampe will continue to run the program and collect data. He’s impressed by the initial results and speculates that mindfulness could have a significant impact on dental education and practices in the future.
“Overall, we’re seeing up to a 40% percent increase in our participant’s feelings of calm after the VR experience,” he said. “While it’s a small-scale example, studies show that emotions have a contagion effect. Imagine the impact of one person in a busy dental practice feeling 30% percent less tense and how that might impact the people all around them.”
O’Callaghan said the VR experience was an engaging and approachable way to practice mindfulness.
“I expected a 10-minute chance to turn my mind off in the middle of a big day during finals and that is what I got,” she said. “I plan to implement more mindfulness practices in my daily routine and would take the chance to do it again.”
O’Callaghan is grateful to CU Dental for providing an evidence-based VR tool for stress reduction.
“Having this program shows me that the school hears our stress and struggles and wants to support us through them with the tools they have at hand. It is another reason I am proud to have chosen CU for my dental school education and experience.”
Header Image: CU Dental student Kamden Hilborn participates in a mindfulness exercise using virtual reality.