Mason Billy loves visits to his dentist, but it wasn't always this way.
"The first time we came, Mason was very scared and uncomfortable, not very cooperative," said Samantha Billy, Mason's mom.
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Mason has Autism Spectrum Disorder and his mother says he struggles with sensory problems, which sometimes make everyday events, like going to the dentist, difficult.
She explained, "It's a lot of expectation setting and it's not, 'Hey, we're going to the dentist today.' It's 'in two weeks we're going to the dentist, remember the last time you did this?'"
Dr. Amr Moursi of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry says finding a dental home for a special needs child is not always easy.
"The number of children with special healthcare needs including developmental issues really is growing and having them get good access to dental care is definitely a problem," he said.
A problem Samantha discovered during her search. She found dentists who told her they weren't 'set up' to care for children with special needs or chose to sedate them for most care. She ultimately found Dr. Daniel Nobel, a pediatric dentist for Mason.
During dental school, pediatric dentists are given specialty training, including how to care for the children.
"Special needs patients really do have a set of particular needs," said Moursi. "Many of them have some difficulty in communicating, either understanding, comprehending or articulating what their needs are."
And training doesn't stop with a degree.
"There are programs that give dentists some additional information so they can learn the latest, the latest techniques, the latest behavioral therapies, so they can provide the absolute best care," added Moursi.
Many dental offices now take extra steps to be sure their patients know what to expect.
"What are the sounds going to be like? Is it going to be bright there? Who am I seeing? How many people am I seeing?" explained Samantha.
"We take photographs of the clinic or the dental office and send those to parents in advance so they can show their children, this is where you're going to be going," Moursi said.
Parents can also tap into the resources online to prepare their children, sh
owing them videos of procedures, or reading books written specifically to help prepare children.
"It can be very scary. It can be potentially painful, potentially uncomfortable. So what we need to do is cater our treatment of our patients to those emotions," said Dr. Daniel Nobel, Mason's dentist.
Nobel offers special goggles and shows movies during sessions. And Samantha feels fortunate to have found the perfect fit for her son.
"I love you," Mason told Nobel.
"Aw, I love you back," Nobel responded.
The guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry say that every child should see a dentist by age one. If you are struggling to find a pediatric dentist comfortable caring for a child with special needs, the AAPD suggests speaking with other parents, therapists, and checking with a local university or hospital that provides dental services. The AAPD also has an online resource to find a pediatric dentist at mychildrensteeth.org.