In parallel exhibitions at the Natural History Museum and Drake Circus in Plymouth, the team are inviting visitors to stop and complete a quick, fun tablet-based survey asking questions such as: have you had any issues with your teeth or mouth; how often to you brush your teeth; and how many times a day to you eat certain foods/ drink certain drinks.
The questionnaire also invites people to ask questions of dental researchers, or to say what they would like to see researched.
At the Natural History Museum the exercise also includes a challenge to find animals on display with more teeth than a typical adult human.
Professor David Moles from Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, commented: “My colleague Dr Mona Nasser and I compiled the tablet-based questions as a fun way to raise awareness of good oral health and to get a snapshot of dental health in general. Thousands of people are expected to visit us in London and Plymouth, and we hope that as many of them as possible will take part in the survey and have a good time doing so.”
Plymouth University is the only university in the South West to have been selected to take part in the Universities Week exhibition at the Natural History Museum. The university is focusing on how it works with technology to improve people’s lives, including the use of robots and simulation technology in dentistry. A parallel exhibition will take place in Drake Circus, Plymouth, from this Wednesday.