Name
Special Care for Special Needs: Understanding and Treating Broad Challenges in the Dental Office
Date & Time
Saturday, October 10, 2020, 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM
Theresa Mccarter
Description

Objectives: 

  • Discover the difference between a disease, disorder, condition and syndrome
  • Understand how to create a positive dental experience for special needs patients
  • Recognize techniques that work in the dental office for the patient and the clinician
  • Identify specific conditions that affect the oral health of special needs patients
  • Learn how to identify, modify and implement a dental care plan for a special needs patient

A special need is defined as “any various difficulty, which can be physical, emotional, behavioral or learning. Individuals with special needs require specialized services and/or accommodations in their daily lives. These difficulties can be a result of a disease, disorder, condition or syndrome. Do you know the difference? There are 18 million children in the United States with special health needs. There are approximately 53 million adults that live with a disability in the United States. It is important to understand what constitutes a special need and to modify and implement a dental care visit to meet the individual’s specific needs. In dentistry, we must be educated on every special need because we have a responsibility to provide exceptional care to all individuals and learning current techniques in providing care to special needs patients can improve their dental and overall health and make the dental visit a positive experience.