Our motto and our livelihood are to provide special care for all people that seek our care for their dental needs, no matter their race, background, or any other contributing health factor. That, of course, includes children with autism.
For years, patients with autism were probably not provided optimal care in many dental settings. Not necessarily in terms of how dentists and dental staff treated them, but more along the lines of the conditions in which they were treated. It was not a local or individual problem; more so, it was a societal problem that all dentists and others in the field had to address to make the process of caring for children with special needs much smoother.
The good news is that steps are being made in a positive manner and there are different acts that have made their rounds around social circles and into a multitude of dental offices around the country.
Many proactive dental offices like ours have implemented strategies to make patients that may respond negatively to traditional sensory experiences in a dental office feel more comfortable. We use a lot of tell-show-do, provide patients with “bite-sized” appointments that are easy to manage, we invest a lot of time at the beginning of the care relationship getting the patient accustomed to the office. Most importantly, we differentiate patient needs as we provide care in settings both side-by-side with other children when peer group success might be helpful, and in a quiet, private room setting when extraneous stimuli might be overwhelming for a different child.
Of course, the name of the game is success and safety. We feel the investments we have made in training our caring staff and in designing our office renovations also add to the chances of excellent outcomes and experiences. We hope you will provide us feedback on the things that we do great and the things that we can continue to improve upon as we care for your children.
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Delaney, Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. The pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults, including being an Invisalign preferred provider. The ability to treat all special needs patients reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy. Valued hospital affiliations allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital and St. John’s Hospital Macomb when needed. Our specialists are also on staff at Henry Ford and Beaumont hospitals.
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan
39400 Garfield Rd., Suite 200
Clinton Township, MI 48038
586-286-0700
www.mychildsteeth.com
[email protected]
