LANGHORNE, Pa. — Penn Dental Medicine’s state-of-the-art facility at Woods, which opened two years ago, is delivering specialized dental care for individuals with disabilities.
The center is a collaboration between Penn’s School of Dental Medicine and Woods Services, a nonprofit supporting adults with cognitive, developmental, or physical disabilities.
Staffed by Penn Dental postgraduate residents and attending dentists, the center serves Woods’ in-patients and out-patients, employees, special needs students, and community members with disabilities.
The initiative also aims to increase the number of dental providers trained to care for this population while giving postgraduate residents hands-on experience, said Marc Henschel, associate professor of clinical preventive and restorative sciences at Penn Dental Medicine and director of the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program.
Treating patients with disabilities presents challenges, including managing behavioral and cognitive issues, addressing acquired or developmental disabilities, and overcoming dental anxiety.
“In order to successfully treat patients with disabilities, you have to learn how to modify your treatments,” Henschel said.
