The bear necessities of better dental care

For Curtin alumnae Milly Griffin-Appadoo and Maddie Branson – Molar Bears (a mobile dental service for children and families) wasn’t just a business idea.

The concept grew from the quiet, confronting moments they witnessed every day, where families were trying their best to access dental care for their children, yet still falling through the cracks.

Between juggling work, school commitments, extracurricular activities and everything in between, booking a dental appointment became just another task on a parents ever-growing to-do list.

“I kept seeing families who cared deeply about their children’s health but simply couldn’t access care easily,’’ Maddie said.

“Parents were juggling work, multiple children, and long wait times, and dental visits kept slipping down the priority list, not because they didn’t value it, but because the system wasn’t built for them.”

At the same time, Maddie and Millie were seeing children arriving at dental appointments anxious, overwhelmed, and afraid – and stepping into unfamiliar clinical environments.

So, it got them thinking.

What if care didn’t require families to rearrange their lives?

What if it came to them instead?

Guided by a philosophy of prevention, Molar Bears provides mobile accessible dental care for children and families by taking dental services beyond the traditional clinic settings and into spaces where children already feel safe.

Travelling to early learning centres, playgroups and patients’ homes Maddie and Milly were able to deliver children’s oral health earlier and in a setting that didn’t trigger anxiety or fear.

With a fully portable dental unit, Molar Bears makes dental care simple, supportive, and achievable for modern families by focusing on prevention, education and early intervention.

Through Molar Bears, Milly and Maddie are reimagining what accessible dental care looks like.

For them, accessibility isn’t just about convenience.

“It’s about care that fits into people’s lives,” Milly said.

“Location, timing, affordability, but also emotional safety.”

That emotional shift is where the real impact lives.

The once-anxious child who now sits comfortably in the chair or the small hands that now grip a toothbrush with confidence.

Mille and Maddie said receiving photos from parents of their children brushing their teeth with big smiles – brings them the greatest joy.

“It goes far beyond teeth,” Milly said.
“It’s about confidence, dignity, and feeling safe.”

Both Milly and Maddie bring complementary strengths to their work.

Milly, who studied Oral Health Therapy at Curtin, draws on a strong clinical foundation and a willingness to challenge traditional models of care, while Maddie, a Human Biology Preclinical alumna, brings a scientific lens and a deep passion for creating positive patient experiences.