Dental Dragons Den 2026

DeCare was proud to sponsor this year’s Dental Dragon’s Den, held at Cathal Brugha FET, where second-year dental nursing students rose to the challenge with innovative, thoughtful, and creative solutions aimed at enhancing dental care and the overall patient experience.

Bringing a unique twist to the classic entrepreneurial format, the event saw students pitch their ideas to a panel of judges, including the dental teaching staff Lourda Kennedy, Shonagh Maher and Jennifer Lynch. DeCare’s Wellness and Health Promotion team members David Casey and Noeleen Lowry, who were honoured to represent DeCare at this inspiring showcase. Students were evaluated across several key areas, including design thinking, product development, and presentation skills.

This year’s Dental Dragon’s Den showcased an exceptional level of creativity and critical thinking, with students clearly embracing the five stages of design thinking- empathise, define, ideate, prototype, and test throughout their projects. The breadth of innovation on display was striking. Ideas ranged from the use of AI to enhance patient engagement and streamline practice workflows, to the development of “bubble pod” concepts designed to create safer, more comfortable waiting environments. Students also explored sustainability in dentistry, proposing environmentally conscious practice initiatives and digital solutions to reduce waste.

“Product innovation was equally impressive, including integrated oral care tools combining toothbrush and toothpaste functionality, alongside health promotion initiatives targeting areas such as pregnancy and oral health.”

Many projects focused on supporting the dental team, introducing ideas to enhance safety procedures, improve efficiencies, and strengthen the overall patient experience. Notably, several students brought their full selves into the process, with some drawing on their own experiences of neurodiversity to shape their thinking and approach. This added a layer of authenticity, insight, and empathy that was both powerful and deeply engaging. The openness and confidence shown in presenting these perspectives was remarkable, reflecting a level of self-awareness and maturity beyond their years. Collectively, the work demonstrated not only strong technical understanding, but a deep awareness of the evolving needs of both patients and dental professionals, and a clear commitment to developing meaningful, sustainable solutions grounded in real-world practice.

Among the many standout moments on the day were a number of projects that particularly resonated with the DeCare Wellness and Health Promotion team for their creativity, innovation, and real-world application. Students presented an impressive range of ideas, including Speakeasy Dental, a communication app designed to support patients with additional needs, and Care Bubble, a pod-style waiting space aimed at reducing anxiety and fear. There was a strong focus on making dentistry more accessible and less intimidating for children, with concepts such as Tommy and Tina Toothbrush, redesigned child-friendly dental instruments, and MolarBear, an interactive oral health promotion tool using rewards and engagement. Technology-driven solutions were also prominent, including Happy Head VR headsets to reduce noise and pain-related anxiety, AI-powered tools like Toni Software for patient comfort, and apps such as StockifyDental to streamline stock management and free up clinical time.

Sustainability and efficiency featured strongly, with innovations like the MODU Tray to reduce waste and improve workflow, hands-free dental drawer systems, and integrated product designs such as One Step Smile and EcoBrush, combining multiple oral care functions into one. Other notable ideas included BiteFlow Dental Solutions and SealSooth, reimagining suction and saliva ejector systems, as well as Mother Care Dental, an online platform focused on oral health in women’s health and pregnancy. Collectively, these projects demonstrated not only creativity and technical skill, but a deep understanding of patient experience, team dynamics, and the growing importance of sustainable, forward-thinking solutions in modern dentistry.

To recognise this outstanding work, a number of awards were chosen on the day. A bursary prize was awarded to the overall winner, Salamuu Seyf (Mothercare Dental), with Ashleigh Chester (Care Bubble) highly commended, and Kayleigh Keane (Seal Sooth) receiving the Sustainability Award. 

Beyond the winners, several other innovations stood out, including Perio Track, a tool to support patients in maintaining oral hygiene between visits; an inclusive toothbrush designed for children with sensory needs; a proposed “reset room” to support dental staff wellbeing; and the DreamCare Speaker, a tabletop translation device aimed at improving communication in healthcare settings. Together, these projects reflected a strong focus on both patient-centred care and the wellbeing of dental professionals.

At DeCare, we believe in supporting the next generation of dental professionals and championing innovation that improves health and wellbeing. Events like Dental Dragon’s Den highlight that these students are the future of dentistry, already tackling real-world challenges through design thinking, advancing health promotion, and embedding sustainability into practice. Their ideas reflect a profession that is evolving, forward-thinking, and in very capable hands.