Dental Health Check with Dr. Linda Niessen
Dental health topics from Dr. Linda Niessen of Baylor College of Dentistry
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 Special Needs

By Dr. Linda Niessen
Monday, December 13, 2004

STORY:  SPECIAL NEEDS

Dental care can be more challenging for children who have physical or mental disabilities. These special needs patients often require extra assistance when they visit the dentist. Dr. Linda Niessen looks at one clinic where all the patients have special health problems in this Dental Health Check.

At age 16, Luke Fulton requires special attention when he has his teeth cleaned. Luke has Down's Syndrome. He and his parents travel more than an hour to Children's Medical Center Dental Clinic that only treats children with special needs.

"Well, its been the only place we've been able to get complete dental treatment for Luke," said Luke's Father, Don Fulton.

Luke's Mother, Michelle Fulton added, "It's just been awesome. I drive an hour and twenty minutes to get here. But I would drive three hours to get here."

As the clinic staff sedate Luke to reduce the anxiety he feels, Luke's Dentist, Dr. Derik Zurn said, "Oral sedation is something that will take the edge off. It's not something that will put the child to sleep. The medications that we use are safe. This is prescribed under the guidelines suggested by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and here at Children's Medical Center." The patients are monitored throughout the procedure.

The clinic treats children who have developmental or physical disabilities such as Down's Syndrome, Autism, cancer patients, transplant patients, or any child with a craniofacial defect such as cleft lip or palate.

"Usually, we like to see them first at age six months or the latest, one year old and that's very important with these special needs children," Dr. Zurn added.

For Luke and his parents, the clinic plays a major role in their son's oral as well as overall good health.

"There's just nothing more important than our teeth. And especially with our children. They have more problems," said Luke's Mom, Michelle.

Early and frequent visits to a dentist are are very important for children with special needs. For Baylor College of Dentistry, The Texas A&M System Health Science Center, I'm Dr. Linda Niessen, Channel 8 News.

Dr. Linda Niessen, clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and  the Office of Communications and Development at Baylor College of Dentistry, hosts Dental Health Check, the only weekly dental feature shot on location in the nation.

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