Yogyakarta — Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has begun field trials of two locally developed dental devices — the Live-Jet saliva evacuator and Morvo fingertip intraoral light — aiming to strengthen oral care services in regional areas.
The tools were developed jointly by UGM’s Faculty of Dentistry (FKG), Faculty of Engineering (FT), and the university’s Directorate of Business Development.
According to lead researcher and inventor Dr. Indra Bramanti, the devices are products of the UGM academic community and were tested previously across Java.
“The light in Morvo comes from the operator’s fingertip, unlike conventional lights that come from a flashlight or a chair-mounted lamp,” Dr. Bramanti said at UGM on Thursday, Oct. 16. He described the current activity as UGM’s first field trial outside Java.
Three units of Live-Jet and two units of Morvo were transported to Buton and loaned to the region for 30 days, with an option to extend.
The devices are being evaluated at RSUD Buton’s dental clinic and several community health centers (puskesmas) in Baubau and Buton.
RSUD Buton will lead use and evaluation during the trial. The UGM team will monitor device performance and gather feedback from operators and patients to refine the products ahead of the next production phase.
Dr. Bramanti noted Live-Jet has already proven helpful at RSUD Buton, where only one of two dental chairs is fully functional. “The presence of Live-Jet has proven to be a real solution to this limitation,” he said.
Buton Regent Alvin Akawijaya Putra welcomed the innovations and said more than 16 neighboring regions have expressed interest in purchasing the devices. “This is excellent, and we plan to purchase them,” he said.
Project members said Live-Jet was developed with funding from the Asian Development Bank’s Prime Step program, while Morvo emerged from downstreaming priority research under the SINERGI program.
Both devices are currently undergoing distribution permit and certification processes in partnership with PT Entri Jaya Makmur of Solo, Yarabisa Yanuar added.
The research team includes Dr. Nunuk Purwanti, Dr. Nur Abdillah Siddiq, Dr. Mayu Winnie Rachmawati, and Dr. Dawi Karomati Baroroh.
Field testing and public sessions in Buton were supported by Dr. Annisa Oktaviani Guntara, research assistant Ahrijul Anam, and UGM alumna Dr. Natasha Gamasita, who coordinated on-site activities.