Special Needs Care

At Algonquin Kids Dentistry, the doctors and staff have been specifically trained to attend to the special needs of patients with physical, developmental or mental disabilities. We fully dedicate the extra attention and understanding that patients may need, and it is our goal to provide them with safe and compassionate care. Our doctors and staff members are trained to ensure that your child’s special needs are met and offer several treatment options for them to achieve a healthy smile.

Special needs patients include children with medical conditions which restrict them from practicing healthy dental habits at home, and also make it difficult for them to visit a dental office.

Algonquin Kids Dentistry is committed to making sure that every child has the chance for a healthy smile, including those with special needs. Dental diseases can be prevented for any child, regardless of their individual condition, as long as oral hygiene habits are started early and maintained. The best way to begin healthy dental habits is to plan a visit to a pediatric dentist by their first birthday.

As you plan your child’s visit, you can be assured that the doctors will perform a careful and gentle examination, and then use those observations to create a plan of preventative care. This plan is always designed personally to suit the special needs of your child, and is aimed to teach them how to care for their teeth, so that they may reduce their risk of preventable dental diseases.

We value the health and safety of all of our patients and for that reason, it is our policy all children seen in our office need to be current with the CDC Recommended Child Immunization Schedule.  We do  recognize there are medical conditions which prevent patients from receiving vaccines.  If your child has a documented medical exemption, before the appointment is scheduled we kindly ask you to  present a letter  from their PCP stating the medical reason the child is not vaccinated and confirm they are in good health- not posing a risk to others or themselves when being seen in a dental office. Once received we’ll be happy to help you going further. Thank you for your understanding in our efforts to keep everyone safe! 

At Algonquin Kids Dentistry, we always find the reward worth the challenge in working with special needs patients.

Before the Visit:

We encourage parents to prepare their child prior to the first office visit.

  • Come in for consultation without your child to review records, history, and concerns
  • Take photographs of the office and physicians to show your child prior to the visit.
  • Compose a brief social story about what will be expected at the time of the visit. This can be very helpful for most children.
  • Schedule your child’s first visit when they are not sick and do not require immunizations this will allow a positive association to take place and assist with future office visits.

Resources/Links

  • http://www.wrightslaw.com Accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities.
  • http://www.childsturn.com/ Childs Turn is a Southern California-based non-profit organization composed of parents, educators and legal professionals committed to creating an online community where individuals with special needs can be united with the professionals who offer services specifically tailored to their unique circumstances.
  • http://www.upsfordowns.com/ UPS for DownS is a parent directed, non-profit organization offering support, education, and encouragement for parents, families and others who love and care about persons with Down syndrome.