Dental appointments for children and teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder can be challenging, but dedicated clinics held at Niagara College, in collaboration with Bethesda’s Children and Youth Services, offer a win-win for clients and clinicians alike.
On March 24, more than 20 children between the ages of five and 15 – all clients of Bethesda, with Autism Spectrum Disorder— were treated at the College’s Dental Clinic at the Welland Campus. Supervised by faculty and staff, dental services were performed by more than 50 final-term students from NC’s three-year advanced diploma Dental Hygiene program, while a group of 10 Autism and Behavioural Science (ABS) students were on site for support.
NC Dean of Health Sciences Sinéad McElhone was pleased to see Dental Hygiene students take part in such a meaningful initiative.
“Partnering with an organization that supports children (and their families) with autism, our students had the unique opportunity to provide essential dental care and gain invaluable experience in a compassionate and inclusive setting. This outreach reflects our commitment to both advancing dental education and contributing to the well-being of diverse communities,” said McElhone. “We value our continued collaboration with Bethesda, which offers experiential and interdisciplinary learning opportunities for our students and gives them a chance to use their skills to help make a difference in the community.”
“Bethesda is thrilled to collaborate with Niagara College on projects like this,” said Paul McGowan, CEO of Bethesda. “This partnership is a great example of how community organizations can work together to enhance the well-being of those we serve and provide children and families with supports to have a successful visit to the dentist, recognizing how beneficial this is for the students as well.”
Kathi Cosgrove, Manager of Children and Youth Services at Bethesda, noted that the collaboration provides an inclusive dental clinic experience for the children Bethesda supports.
“Dental visits can be a sensory challenge for children on the spectrum. By working collaboratively with Niagara College professionals, we aim to provide families with a supportive dental visit,” said Cosgrove. “This valuable learning opportunity is great for students, our families and our staff as we continue to build a better future for all.”
For Dental Hygiene students, the experience was a class clinical session where they earned credit for each part of their patient’s care they performed. Professors assessed the clients initially and spoke to their parents before students began their work and remained on site to assist when needed. Dental Hygiene students performed a range of services including oral examinations, cleaning, polishing, individual oral hygiene instruction, radiographs, fluoride treatments, and sealants.
Dental Programs Instructor Samantha Pischedda noted that the collaboration with Bethesda enhances the student experience and requires them to think critically about the process of care as they provide oral health services to a younger population, and clients who have special needs.
“Gaining experience with children and those with varying degrees of autism – some are completely nonverbal, and others are very high functioning – will be helpful for their careers in the future,” she said.
She applauded the efforts of this year’s senior Dental Hygiene students who went the extra mile to create a video for the clients and their families to watch in preparation for the appointment – informing them about what to expect – as well as a questionnaire for families to fill out in advance, to inform students about the client and ways to help them feel more comfortable.
Dental Hygiene student Grace Pickering focused on adapting her approach to each child’s needs. She prepared for the event by reviewing key aspects of pediatric dental care – including how to work with children with varying needs and comfort levels – and by learning about Bethesda’s mission and the specific challenges faced by children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
“I’ve taken time to mentally prepare myself for the unique dynamics of the clinic and have been focusing on strategies to ensure that the children feel safe, supported and understood during their visit,” said Pickering. “It is incredibly rewarding to know that we will be helping them overcome any fears they might have about dental care while providing them with tools to improve their oral health.”
“It’s one thing to learn in a class setting, but hands-on experiences and opportunities like these really help me develop the skills I’ll need in the real world,” said Dental Hygiene student Amna Ahmed, who valued the opportunity to gain experience with client interaction, teamwork, and leadership.
“This experience is teaching me how to be a more well-rounded professional, someone who can make patients/clients feel at ease while ensuring the clinic runs smoothly.”
ABS Program Coordinator Taryn Walsh helped prepare Dental Hygiene students prior to the event with information about Autism Spectrum Disorder. Ten students from the one-year graduate certificate ABS program were involved with supporting clients at the clinic, earning credit for their program field placement requirement.
Walsh noted that being a part of the dental clinic alongside Bethesda provides valuable hands-on experience for her students.
“This helps them to further bridge the gap between theory and practice by having them assist with the use of adaptive strategies with the clients at the clinic,” said Walsh. “Dental work can be challenging for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and our ABS students wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to see how Applied Behaviour Analysis strategies can be used to provide support in this setting.”
ABS student Kelsey DeWitt valued the opportunity to participate.
“The dental clinics give us real-life experience that we wouldn’t have the chance to gain otherwise,” she said. “I feel grateful to have this opportunity to support at the dental clinics and am proud to attend Niagara College which highlights the importance of community involvement and partnerships.”
The event continued a collaboration between NC and Bethesda which began in 2018, offering dental care at a reduced cost for children with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder that were registered with Bethesda and the Ontario Autism program.
For information about the NC Dental Clinic visitniagaracollege.ca/alliedhealth/dental-clinic.
Niagara College has a full-time enrolment of more than 10,000 students from over 95 countries, who study in 130 diploma, certificate and bachelor degree programs at specialized campuses in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Niagara College is also involved in educational projects and partnerships around the world and is consistently ranked among Canada’s top 10 colleges for research funding. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca.
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