The Real Power of the “Moe Dentist” in Akihabara, the Holy Land of Dentistry!

What an unexpected chemical reaction between “moe” and “dentist” could happen!

This time, FRIDAY visited “Akiba Dentistry” in Akihabara (Tokyo), a sacred place for otaku. The clinic’s director, a serious anime and manga otaku, opened an innovative dental clinic with female staff and dental hygienists in maid uniforms, which has been the talk of the town since its opening in July this year.

Hello~!”

Upon entering the clinic, I was immediately greeted by the reception staff dressed in maid uniforms. The treatment menu was even more “moe” in full swing. The options were as moe as a maid café: “practice brushing your teeth while chatting with your favorite staff member,” and “checkerboard and drawing of the staff in charge of your teeth.

Yuzu-san, pictured below, said, “I like to use a toothbrush with pencils.

I’m good at drawing pictures of little teeth on your Cheki ♡♡” (Riko Konoe).

The FRIDAY reporter actually disliked dentists very much, but was able to receive treatment comfortably. This was exactly what Akiba Dental was aiming for. Director Joji Yukawa explains, “Anyway, it is easy for first-timers to come to the clinic.

I wanted to create a dentist that was easy to come to, even for first-timers. Today’s dentists often cut out cavities on the spot after examining a patient who only wanted to check the condition of his or her teeth. On the other hand, at our clinic, you can just brush your teeth and leave without saying a word to the doctor. We have lowered the hurdle to visiting the hospital.”

Staff members dressed in maids’ uniforms also play a role in lowering the hurdle. The hospital is also making efforts to make people want to keep coming back. Director Yukawa continues.

We currently have 12 staff members. When one person teaches them how to brush their teeth, they want other staff members to do the same. The same goes for the chekis; they want to complete all the staff. It’s important for dentists to treat people over and over again, so whatever their motivation is, we’re happy if they continue to receive treatment from us.”

Is this legal?

Only licensed dental hygienists are involved in treatment. The rest of the staff is responsible for clerical work, tooth brushing instruction, and other tasks that do not require qualifications, so there is no problem.

The maids’ clothing was also carefully selected so as not to interfere with the treatment. The custom-made uniforms, which the director made to order to be as functional as possible without sacrificing cuteness, drew an unexpectedly strong response.

We were inundated with applications from staff members who wanted to work in our maid uniforms. The shortage of human resources is a problem in this industry, so people are always surprised when I tell them about it. The fact that we open late (from 2pm to 11pm) to accommodate the rhythm of the working girls’ lives may also be a reason why so many staff applied. In addition to our unique moe service, the number of patients is steadily increasing, probably because we are open late, which other dentists are not.

If “moe dentists” take root in the culture, they may help reduce the number of patients with cavities.

From the September 30 and October 7, 2022 issues of FRIDAY