Oral Health

image of person and aide standing at sink with toothbrush
Good oral health is a key component of good overall physical health
Overview
Achieving Good Oral Health

Your care manager will work with you to ensure that your dental home care needs are met and that you have the skills and support you need to achieve good dental hygiene. Your care manager can also arrange for training in oral home care (brushing and flossing) and help you find a dentist who can assess your dental health and make recommendations for treatment. While many people with developmental disabilities visit their general family dentist, some patients may need or prefer the services of a dentist who is trained in special needs dentistry. 

A listing of special needs dentists is at the bottom of this page and can be searched by location. You can also search specifically for New York State Hospital Operating Room programs where patients with developmental disabilities can receive comprehensive dental care with general anesthesia by typing the word "operating" in the "refine" search bar that appears beneath the location filter.

 If you would like to access oral health training materials developed specifically for patients and their caregivers, visit the "additional training" link below.
 

Additional Training

 

Preparing for your Dental Visit
Complete Your Health and Dental History
Filling out your health history in advance of your appointment will help ensure a productive visit. Our downloadable forms covering medical and dental history were developed by our Task Force on Special Dentistry to ensure that your dentist has the information needed to deliver optimal care and treatment. You will find a form to complete your medical and dental history on our forms page. If you need to fill out a medical and dental history form for someone you support, there's a specific form for you to use that can be found on our forms page as well.