Special needs dentistry in Greater Philadelphia
Every child deserves excellent dental care, including children with special healthcare needs. At Pediatric Dental Associates, our board-certified pediatric dentists completed two to three additional years of specialty training after dental school that specifically covers caring for patients with developmental, physical, and behavioral special needs. Our five offices in Greater Philadelphia are designed to provide a calm, patient-paced experience for children who need a different approach to dental care.
Our approach to caring for children with special needs
Comfortable, effective dental care for a child with special healthcare needs starts long before the appointment. We build each visit around your child, drawing on your knowledge of what works for them. Our specialists are trained in adaptive techniques that reduce stress and keep treatment safe and predictable, and we move at your child’s pace.
What Are Special Health Care Needs?
Special health care needs cover a wide range of differences that may require extra attention during dental visits. Our team has experience caring for children with conditions including:
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Down syndrome
- Cerebral palsy
- Sensory processing differences
- Behavioral and developmental differences
- Physical disabilities
- And many others
If your child has a condition not listed here, please reach out. We are happy to talk through how we can best support them.You know your child better than anyone. That’s why we ask questions, listen carefully, and build our approach around what works for your family.
How we adapt appointments for children with special needs
- Pre-appointment consultations: we encourage families to call ahead so we can prepare the team and schedule appropriately
- Familiarization visits: no-treatment visits available to help children explore the office before clinical work begins
- Flexible scheduling: longer appointment slots when more time is needed
- Sensory accommodations: dimmed lighting, reduced noise, and weighted blankets available on request at select locations
- Behavior guidance: our team is trained in non-pharmacological techniques before sedation is recommended
- Sedation options: nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation are available for children who need additional support
- Hospital dentistry coordination: for children requiring general anesthesia, we can coordinate with appropriate hospital partners
Sedation and comfort options for children with special needs
When behavior guidance and sensory accommodations are not enough, we offer a full range of sedation options, from nitrous oxide to oral conscious sedation to coordinated general anesthesia for children who need treatment completed in a single supported visit. Learn more about our sedation options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. We regularly see children who have never had a dental visit. We can schedule a no-treatment familiarization visit first so your child can build comfort with the environment before any clinical work begins.
No referral is needed. We welcome new patients with special healthcare needs at all five of our locations. Simply call the office nearest you to schedule.
We offer nitrous oxide for mild to moderate anxiety and oral conscious sedation for children who need deeper relaxation. For children requiring treatment under general anesthesia, we can coordinate with appropriate hospital partners or ambulatory surgery centers.
Depending on the location, we offer dimmed lighting, reduced noise, weighted blankets, familiarization visits, and longer appointment slots. Tell us what your child needs when you call and we will prepare the team and the room.
We offer a range of sedation options, and for children who need it we coordinate treatment under general anesthesia with appropriate hospital partners so all care can be completed safely in one visit.
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