Special needs youngsters get help at the dentists!

Special needs youngsters get ‘friendly’ dental service

Published Date: 15 July 2011

By Kate Shannon
 
A DENTAL service for children with special needs has been launched by public health minister Michael Matheson.

Bridgeton Health Centre’s paediatric dental service has been re-designed to make it more calming and child-friendly, in an attempt to remove any fears children with special needs may have, particularly those with autism.

The Glasgow centre’s re-developed service was the idea of two NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde staff, Lyndsay Ovenstone, senior dental officer, and Debbie Connelly, health improvement senior for oral health.

Mr Matheson said: “During the past decade there has been an increasing trend in the percentage of five-year-olds in Scotland with no obvious dental decay. However, we must continue to do more, particularly to accelerate the improvements in more deprived areas and address the barriers to good dental health for children, to enable us to improve the future oral health of the nation.

“That’s why I’m delighted to be in Bridgeton, Glasgow to launch this innovative new service. I want to thank everyone involved in this project for bringing it to fruition and for the support of staff and parents for making these changes a reality. Through their efforts we are already seeing great improvements in that trip-to-the-dentist experience for children with special needs in this part of the city.”

Ms Connelly said: “Children with autism have difficulty understanding and relating to other people, as well as taking part in everyday family life. And a trip to the dentist can be terrifying for them.

“Children with this condition like routine and find unfamiliar settings very daunting. And in a new environment they tend to experience a sensory overload as they cannot process the sheer volume of new information.

“Not only is this upsetting for them it is also incredibly distressing for their parents too.”

Children visiting the dentist for the first time are given talking books before their appointment to help put them at ease. The books show pictures of the centre, the staff and the surgery, with a narrative provided for each picture to familiarise the child with the new experience.