Oral health-care providers aren’t always equipped to care for patients with autism. Because we don’t see them regularly, we may approach them in a way that doesn’t work well for them.
I was joined by Jaime Collins, BA, RDH-EA, a Philips Key Opinion Leader, who has a child on the spectrum. As a result, she’s very sensitive to these patients’ needs.
For example, she realizes that those on the spectrum generally don’t like to be touched. She helps them become familiar with her, and that builds trust.
She realizes that they have different levels of communication capabilities. Oral health-care providers must be very clear, concise, and direct when addressing them because they often take things literally.
She sometimes treats her patients who are on the spectrum during her lunch hour so there aren’t others in the office to distract them. The appointments are not a “get them in and get them out” situation. It’s quite the opposite. Taking the time to get to know them and gain their trust pays off in terms of their oral care and overall health down the road.
Then there’s the matter of home care and knowing what tools will work well for them. Hear what all Jaime and I discuss, what tools she likes to recommend, and learn to make your patients on the spectrum feel welcome in your practice.
