A Protocol to Streamline Dental Care in Autistic Children

Overview

The investigators aim at creating a dedicated pathway to allow accessibility to dental care for ASD children within a hospital Dentistry Department, in order to diminish the need for general anesthesia. Visual pedagogy, parent training, a strict schedule for appointments (every two months) spanning over three years and longer duration of dedicated examination are set up for a group of ASD children, whose behavior is compared to that of children seen one or twice a year.

Treated group: Enrollment: caregivers receive instructions and a visual pedagogy aid with instructions for toothbrushing. They complete also enrollment and informed consent forms. At the first visit: caregivers receive a dental mirror to be used at home. Children are free to explore the office and dental room. Subsequent visits, every two months for three years: trials are made to establish contact with children, make them seat at the dentist's chair, execute dental visits and treatments as needed. Control group: subjects (similar inclusion and exclusion criteria) that access the Department for clinical reasons or control visits, but cannot comply with the strict two-months schedule.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes