Manual scaling and root planing (SRP) is an essential dental procedure within the dental curriculum. However, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the reduction of exposure to laboratory practice throughout the dental curriculum, coupled with the high cost of instruments, is hampering effective learning. Currently, alternatives such as technology-based approaches, for instance mobile augmented reality (AR), are being explored for clinical and educational purposes in dentistry. AR allows overlaying interactive information onto the real world, facilitating an engaging paradigm for self-paced and repetitive exploration of complex concepts for student learning. However, the use of AR to learn manual SRP has not yet been explored. Recognizing this gap, this research focuses on developing a mobile-based AR application to support the learning of SRP using manual hand instruments and explores its
potential educational benefits. To develop the application, 3D models of SRP hand instruments were created and integrated with third-party models to generate animations that illustrate the correct use of each instrument. The application was implemented using AR Foundation in Unity. Bespoke cards containing relevant SRP information were designed in order to trigger interactive AR content. 10 postgraduate students with no prior knowledge of SRP, were involved in a Usability testing. Although results reported the application usability was acceptable (SUS score= 68,75), these suggest there are still areas for functional improvements. In addition, participants provided encouraging feedback regarding their motivation to learn about SRP. Overall, this research yields a foundation for enhancing the application prior to broader deployment in dental education.