Our office takes special needs care very seriously. Patients with sensory challenges, anxiety, or other personality traits that require additional care are all things our staff is trained to accommodate.
If you are the parent of a special needs child, you may have wondered which dental offices near you would be best suited. In this post we aim to clarify with some examples of special needs patients we see regularly so that you can make a simpler and more informed decision.
- Patients with mobility challenges. Children and older patients that have trouble getting into and out of chairs, and/or who are wheelchair bound, may find going to the dentist difficult. Our equipment makes this easier, and our staff is specially trained to make the visits as easy as possible.
- Patients with autism/aspergers. Both of these conditions can make it challenging for a child to relate to others, which makes any type of doctor’s appointment more challenging. Many children have trouble sitting still for the entire length of a dental appointment, and this can be even more pronounced for children with autism. These patients may also struggle with their own dental hygiene or having those things explained to them. Dentists who have not specifically trained for caring for these patients may find accommodating and making them comfortable difficult.
- Patients with ADHD. Beyond the considerations of keeping still for the appointment, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are also statistically at increased risk of poor dental hygiene. Experts believe this is because ADHD causes poorer impulse control and challenges with planning and memory.
- Patients with anxiety. The reasons for dental anxiety can vary. For some patients it may have started with a bad experience with a prior dentist. In other cases there isn’t a clear cause. Regardless, dental anxiety can negatively affect oral health, willingness to hold appointments, or openness to seeking help when there is pain or other maladies.
Having a dental office equipped for special needs children is especially important to ensure good oral health as they group up.
Our team here at Crisp and Associates has vast experience in dealing with patients of diverse backgrounds and needs. We are fully equipped and ready to treat every patient in the safest and most compassionate way possible. If you have a patient requiring special care and attention, please let us know what works best for them and how we can help.
We understand that every child is unique and deserves our utmost care and attention. Anything we can do to help, please don’t hesitate to let us know!
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