Filling a special need at the dentist

It’s hard getting most kids to sit still for a few minutes, especially when they’re sitting in the dentist’s chair. But it can be especially difficult for children with special needs. And it can be tough for their parents to find them the care they need.

Mason Billy loves visits to his dentist, but it wasn’t always this way.

“The first time we came, Mason was very scared and uncomfortable, not very cooperative,” explained his mother Samantha Billy.

Mason has Autism Spectrum Disorder and his mother says he struggles with sensory problems, which sometimes make everyday events like going to the dentist, difficult.

“It’s a lot of expectation setting and it’s not, ‘Hey, we’re going to the dentist today,’ it’s ‘In two weeks we’re going to the dentist, remember the last time you did this?’ ” said Samantha.

Dr. Amr Moursi of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry says finding a dental home for a special needs child is not always easy.

“The number of children with special healthcare needs including developmental issues really is growing and having them get good access to dental care is definitely a problem,” he said.

A problem Mason’s mom discovered during her search. She found dentists who told her they weren’t set up to care for children with special needs or chose to sedate them for most care. She ultimately found a pediatric dentist.  During dental school, they’re given specialty training, including how to care for the children.

“Special needs patients really do have a set of particular needs. Many of them have some difficulty in communicating, either understanding, comprehending or articulating what their needs are,” explained Dr. Moursi.

And training doesn’t stop with a degree.

“There are programs that give dentists some additional information so they can learn the latest, the latest techniques, the latest behavioral therapies, so they can provide the absolute best care,” said Dr. Moursi.

Many dental offices now take extra steps to be sure patients like Mason know what to expect.

“What are the sounds going to be like? Is it going to be bright there? Who am I seeing? How many people am I seeing?” explained Mason’s mom.

“We take photographs of the clinic or the dental office and send those to parents in advance so they can show their children, this is where you’re going to be going,” said Dr. Moursi.

Parents can also tap into the resources online to prepare their children, showing them videos of procedures, or reading books written specifically to help prepare children.

“It can be very scary. It can be potentially painful, potentially uncomfortable. So what we need to do is cater our treatment of our patients to those emotions,” Mason’s dentist, Dr. Daniel Nobel said.

Mason’s dentist offers special goggles and shows movies during sessions.  His mother Samantha feels fortunate to have found the perfect fit for her son.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that every child see a dentist by age one. For help finding pediatric dentists in Southwest Florida, you can head to their website by clicking here.