Over the course of one’s career as an oral health care provider the opportunity to meet individuals from all stages and stations in life will be great. Included among these individuals exists a category of persons whose health care needs are often neglected...persons with disabilities or special health care needs. While this occurs for varying reasons it is clear that even the process of identifying this group can be daunting. Persons with special needs encompass such a wide range of unique characteristics that the term “disability” does not have a single definition. While there is little doubt that this population has a significant economic impact on health care estimating its depth and breadth is often dependent on the definition used to classify the disability.

In this module, you will have the opportunity to:

1) Familiarize yourself with the special needs populations in the US, their oral health status and the specific considerations needed to effectively care for them throughout your career.

2) Explore a case study of an autistic patient and the necessary steps in treatment to establish a dental home.

3) Observe videos of an expert in the field of special needs dentistry describing the importance and rewards of working with this population.

Meet Diane Ede-Nichols DMD, MHL, MPH

Associate Professor and Chair in the Department of Community Dentistry
College of Dental Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

The special needs clinic at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine is called the Henry Schein Special Needs Clinical Suite. It's housed in North Miami Beach where residents focus on treating people with acquired and/or developmental disabilities as well as those who have special challenges such as physical movement or communication difficulties. Several faculty, including Dr. Ede-Nichols, are well trained in the provision of dental care for persons with disabilities.