JAPANESE DENTAL CLINICS OFFER DOG COMPANIONS, ON-SITE GYM TO BOOST DECLINING BUSINESS

Declining birth rates see business slump heralding introduction of nurses dressed as maids, French-style clinic cafes, brightly-decorated spaces

Dropping birth rates and a market slump have seen some dental clinics in Japan introduce dog companions, maid services and on-site gym facilities in a bid to boost business.

A paediatric dental clinic in Ibaraki prefecture in central Japan has been hiring therapy dogs for two decades to comfort its little patients.

The idea occurred to the Palette Clinic's founder and dentist, surnamed Suzuki, after she met a therapy dog, golden retriever Flora.

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She invited Flora and her owner on a trial in her clinic, and it surprised them that she was not scared by the high-pitched noise and strong odours common in a dental clinic.

Later, Suzuki brought in more therapy dogs, especially smaller canines, so that they could rest on or next to the patients' body while they undergo treatment.

The move received positive feedback from patients, who said they felt less scared.

Suzuki said the dogs had never bitten or injured any child in 20 years. She said they barely move, and lie calmly on top of the children or between their legs.

"Just the feeling of the dogs' warmth seems to relax children during treatment," she told the Japanese media outlet Oricon News.

The dental market in Japan has become increasingly competitive due to the country's declining birth rate.

Japan's health ministry reported that the number of babies born in the country fell to a record low of 720,988 in 2024.

That was five per cent down from the previous year, and a ninth consecutive year of decline. It was estimated that Japan's annual births will fall below 600,000 in 2040.

Meanwhile, a survey by the Japanese health ministry also revealed that the proportion of children with tooth cavities hit a record low in 2024.

The dental industry in the country also saw a record number of bankruptcies and closures in 2024, according to Japanese market research group Teikoku Databank.

The firm also reported that 54 per cent of the country's 33,000 active dental technicians are in their 50s or older.

To increase their competitiveness, Japan's dental clinics took to opening a on-site French restaurant or cafe.

A dental clinic in Tokyo opened an on-site gym and even provided a fitness coach.

Another dental clinic in Akihabara, Tokyo decorated its interior in pink and dressed up the nurses as maids.

Patients can select a specific nurse they wish to receive services from.

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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.

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2025-03-22T10:11:04Z