Special Needs Dentistry Fund

Individuals with cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities (IDDs) often have physical, behavioral, social and emotional needs that require a level of care and support that extends beyond what a typical dentist has been trained in providing. Their visits are longer and more complex, necessitating skilled and nuanced attention from practitioners.

Due to these challenges, many adults and children with IDD go without dental care or without this care for extended periods of time, a disparity that is detrimental to both their oral and overall systemic health as well as their emotional and mental well-being.

By establishing a designated Special Needs Dentistry Fund, TCDM is embarking on an effort to address the needs of this population by providing educational programs for general dentists, expansion of educational activities for predoctoral students and postdoctoral fellows as well as developing clinical programs to provide services to this marginalized population.

Your tax-deductible donation will provide funding for a variety of solutions including but not limited to:

• Continuing education for other members of the dental community
• Hiring of faculty and fellows trained in the care and treatment of this underserved population
• Specialized training for TCDM students to provide a more sensitive approach and specific accommodations for care
• Specialized equipment and facilities that can mitigate sensory overstimulation and physical discomfort for patients