Dental Care for Special Children

Special people deserve a place where they can be treated respectfully and professionally, in an environment that caters to their special dental needs. Specialist Kids Dentist treat kids with special needs such as Autism, ADHD, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.

Providing comprehensive preventive and therapeutic dental care to patients who have special healthcare needs is an important aspect of the specialty of paediatric dentistry. We value the unique qualities of each young smile we treat, and seek to ensure maximal health for all, regardless of developmental disability or other healthcare issues.

Defining Special Needs

The Australian Dental Association defines persons with special health care needs as individuals who have a physical, developmental, mental, sensory, behavioural, cognitive, or emotional impairment or limiting condition that requires medical management, health care intervention and/or use of specialized services or programs.

If the individual is not capable of self care, it is essential that people who are in daily contact with the individual become engaged in the prevention of dental disease and other aspects of the individual’s oral health care.

Here at Specialist Kids Dentist, we are specifically trained to diagnose dental problems and treat these special patients in our practice. It is our goal to create a dental home for your child, where treatment can be delivered safely, and ideal dental health can be achieved.Our reward is forming life-long friendships with them and their care givers.

AUTISM: The Dental Dilemma

Autistic children present a special challenge to the dental community. They require and deserve all of the dental services that are provided to the typical child but are often neglected for many different reasons.

  • Poor eating habits as well as pacification eating and drinking leads to the consumption of many decay creating snacks and drinks.
  • Behavioural management and intervention is often rewarded with candy leading to an increased decay rate.
  • They are often orally sensitive which makes it difficult and often impossible to provide routine at home oral health care.
  • Their parents avoid the dental visit because of pre-conceived fears about the difficulties associated with a routine dental visit.
  • Autistic children often have oral habits such as chewing and biting which alters the position of their teeth and makes their smile less than attractive.
  • Correction of a poor bite is perceived as next to impossible.
  • Frequent trauma from accidents injures the front teeth of autistic children.

Whether your child’s condition is congenital, developmental, or the result of disease or trauma, we can provide guidance and raise awareness of his or her special dental care needs. Contact us at Specialist Kids or visit one of our clinics in Liverpool or Summer Hill.