Special-needs dental clinic offers calm, supportive care to kids with sensory issues and development delays
Visits to the dentist can be a source of anxiety for any parent or child. But for children with sensory challenges or development delays, this rite of passage — a visit to the dentist — can cause a heightened sense of stress.
That’s why on one Saturday every month, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital’s dental clinic only books appointments for patients under age 21 with a disability such as autism, Down Syndrome or cerebral palsy. This designated time ensures patients enter a calm and supportive environment for basic services such as cleanings and filling cavities.
Dr. Victor Costanza, a general dentist at Santa Rosa Memorial, has been on staff for over 15 years. He’s developed several techniques to familiarize clinic patients with the sights, sounds and feelings of being in the dentist’s chair. And even if a patient only stays for a few minutes to sit in the big dentist’s chair, Dr. Costanza considers the time well spent.
“There’s almost never an unsuccessful visit,” says Dr. Costanza. “There’s something positive every time. Maybe the patient goes up and down in the chair a few times. Then the next time, they open their mouth for you. And the third time, you can brush their teeth.”
The step-by-step process is needed because children with sensory challenges or learning disabilities may experience fear and anxiety at the dentist. The exam lights are bright, the strange sounds of a drill or polisher are unfamiliar and patients have to follow instructions they may not fully understand.
About half of the patients the dental clinic sees on Saturdays are autistic and about 25 percent have Down Syndrome; the remainder have a mix of sensory issues or delayed development. The monthly clinic cares for about 230 patients yearly — as young as eight months old, and up to 21 years old. Many patients and families primarily speak Spanish, and the clinic staff and hygienists are bilingual to help bridge any language barriers.
Calm and patience are key to treating special-needs children
Saturday, when only one-third of the weekday staff are in the building, is a good day to schedule special needs patients, explains Arturo Martinez, dental programs manager for Santa Rosa Memorial.
“There can be a barrier to accessing care when there are distractions and noises — the usual hustle and bustle of a clinic,” Martinez says. “On Saturdays, patients and their families can use a side-door entrance that offers a quieter and calmer way into the clinic. Overall, it’s a more welcoming environment for these patients, and we can dedicate time to caring for them.”
Parents and guardians are also put at ease by the calm, tolerant atmosphere, and by Dr. Costanza’s clear dedication to overcoming any challenges. This is important because parents have a role to play in the exam room.
“I couldn’t do this work without the parents’ participation,” says Dr. Costanza. “They can sense things with their child that I might be unfamiliar with.”
Janet Mclaughlin’s son has been a patient at the clinic for the past 15 years. “My kid was the one on the floor screaming because he was scared and didn’t want to be there… and sometimes, we’d need to leave and try again next time,” says Mclaughlin. “This past January he is now the kid who will still fuss about being there, but he’s able to handle x-rays and cleanings in a way he hasn’t been able to in the past. As a parent of a special needs person, you really just want their people, their community, to be kind and understanding. The clinic has been so very kind and understanding and our family is grateful for the work they do.”
The struggle to find dental care
Most of the Saturday clinic patients are covered by Medi-Cal Dental. But parents and guardians of children with disabilities can find it tough to locate dental practices that will accept them, even with insurance.
“Most dentists simply can’t afford to do this work because of the extra time and care it takes,” says Martinez. “The private dental clinics have to worry about productivity and reimbursement.” As a nonprofit, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital can offer clinic services without concerns about patient volume or working with private insurers. The program is made possible through funding from the hospital’s Community Benefit and Community Health efforts, focused on transforming the well-being of our most vulnerable neighbors.
Martinez himself knows what it’s like to need dental care and lack resources. When he was a teenager, he was on Medi-Cal and needed urgent dental treatment. He came to the clinic and got care.
“Seeing myself and my mom in the families who visit us each day is what inspires me,” Martinez says.
And Dr. Costanza himself can’t imagine doing anything else during the monthly Saturday clinics. “This is the most rewarding thing I’ve done in dentistry. It’s just a great feeling to help a child and their family get through something tough.”
To schedule a dental visit at one of our Saturday clinics, call 707-547-4615.
