Skip to main content
2024 AAPD Annual Meeting Main banner
Itinerary Planner Sponsored by Cheng Crowns
Information & Legend
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.
Presentation Icons
Ticket Required
Ticket Required
Sold Out
Sold Out
Recorded Session
Recorded Session
Back
Rate ePoster
View ePoster

Special Health Care Needs

181 - Effectiveness of Desensitization in Pediatric Autistic Patients to Complete Treatment

Friday, May 24, 2024
12:00 PM – 12:10 PM EST
Location: Exhibit Hall (back left corner of the hall, space 137)

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Rah-Taja M. Doggett, DMD

    Resident
    NYU Langone Dental Medicine, Brooklyn, NY
    NYU Langone-Massachusetts
    Enfield, Connecticut, United States

    • Research Mentor(s)

  • RM

    Raffi Miller, DMD

    Associate Director
    NYU Langone Health
    Holyoke, Massachusetts, United States

    • Program Director(s)

  • DK

    Daniel J. Kane, DMD

    Program Director
    NYU Langone Dental Medicine, Brooklyn, NY
    Brooklyn, New York, United States

Abstract:



Purpose: The goal of this quality improvement project was to investigate the clinical outcomes of desensitization appointments amongst pediatric dental patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by examining the success of desensitization visits and the number of in-office visits needed to successfully complete the patient’s intended dental treatment at Holyoke Health Center.



Methods: Children ages 3-18 years old who had been diagnosed with ASD presented to the Holyoke Health Center Pediatric Dental Clinic in Holyoke, Massachusetts for desensitization appointments.  A chart review was conducted on these patients to determine if patients had ASD and had participated in at least one desensitization appointment. The number of desensitization appointments completed and successful treatments completed were then assessed from October 2014 to May 2022.



Results: Seventy-three patients  (22 females and 51 males) with ASD who had completed at least one desensitization appointment were evaluated. No significant differences in number of desensitization visits completed were found between groups that were able to complete treatment (2.8 visits) and those that were not (3.2 visits).



Conclusion: Overall, it was determined that the number of desensitization visits completed did not affect the ability of a patient to complete their intended treatment. The ability for patients with ASD to complete treatment is multifactorial and requires individualized planning based on each patient’s dental, medical and social histories.

Identify Supporting Agency and Grant Number: