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Special Health Care Needs

Caregiver Input for School Based Special Needs Dental Clinic

274 - Kennedy Day School Dental Clinic: Caregiver Input

Friday, May 24, 2024
2:15 PM – 2:25 PM EST
Location: Exhibit Hall (back left corner of the hall, space 137)

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Natalia Velasquez, BDS

    Pediatric Dental Resident
    Boston University, Boston, MA
    Boston University
    Boston, Massachusetts, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • CC

    Christine Chiao, MPH, DMD

    Boston University

    • Research Mentor(s)

  • MH

    Michelle Henshaw, DDS, MPH

    Associate Dean of Global & Population Health; Professor of Health Policy & Health Services Research
    Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA
    Boston, Massachusetts, United States

    • Program Director(s)

  • KD

    Keri Discepolo, DDS, MPH

    Post Graduate Program Director of Pediatric Dentistry
    Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine
    Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Abstract:



Purpose: The Kennedy Day School (KDS) is special education school for children with complex needs and challenges in Brighton, Massachusetts. The purpose of this study was to document the oral health needs of KDS students and obtain caregiver input in developing an on-campus dental clinic for KDS students.



Methods: A 31-question survey was distributed via email to 65 parents/legal guardians of students currently enrolled at KDS. The survey was administered online using REDCap, and included questions on student's medical history, dental history, and potential features of an on-campus dental clinic. Descriptive statistics were calculated using EXCEL.



Results: The response rate was 29% (19/65).  Student's mean age was 14.4(+/-4.9) years old, 74% took 5 or more medications daily, 100% had Medicaid dental insurance, 21.1% reported dental pain and only 16% of parents rated their children’s oral health as excellent/very good. Over one quarter (26.3%) of students had no preventive dental visit in the previous 12 months. Dental anxiety affected 84.2% of students, with 42.1% experiencing extreme anxiety during dental appointments. All parents wanted dental services at school, including features like: background music, iPad, ambient lighting, toys, and weighted blanket.

Conclusion: ​Students at KDS have a wide range of medical, dental, and behavioral needs, and caregiver input provides valuable insight into features for the future KDS dental clinic.​ Having a special needs school-based dental clinic with such features, can aid in desensitization and provide easy access to gradual and repeated exposures to prepare the student for future dental encounters. ​

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