Appointments for children with special care requirements
Bee Healthy understands the challenges that parents can face with personal care of children who are disabled, neurodivergent, or living with a long term health condition. There are lots of things we can do to help these children. The first step is to let us know about their needs in as much detail as possible so we can help make their dental experience a positive one.
Before your visit
1. Enrolment
When enrolling, please include details about your child’s needs in the ‘medical’ section. It is also helpful if you call or email to ask for a ‘teleconsult’ so you can have a chat with the therapist you will be seeing.
2 Teleconsultation
We recommend a teleconsult before your child’s dental visit.
If you request a teleconsult, you can fill out the online special care questionnaire and/or speak directly with a therapist. Please give as much detail as possible, as it really helps the therapist to understand your child so that we can make a shared plan for their care. Your therapist can book a 30-minute appointment at your local hub.
3. Important things to discuss
- Oral hygiene – brushing routine, challenges, taste
- Diet – favourite foods & aversions, restricted diets
- Sensory & environment: stimulus they are drawn to or that overwhelm them
- Communication: how should we interact with your child-toys, play, storybooks, ‘tell, show, do’?
- Physical: do they have any physical limitations or preferences?
4. Tools
There are different tools that can help your child prepare for their dental checkup and on the day too, for example:
- Explain what might happen at their visit
- Social Stories – a picture book explaining what happens at a dental checkup
- Books, songs, videos, roleplay– can help to desensitise them to dental tools and what happens
What your first visit to Bee Healthy will look like
A time of 30 minutes will be set aside, unless more time needed, as identified from the questionnaire or telephone consult (Please advise the person you book with that you are requesting a special care exam and need a longer appointment time).
- Building connections and relationships
- Familiarisation of the dental environment and dental care through gentle and gradual introduction to new things
- Support and understanding of the challenges faced with oral health care for special care children
It is common for children to need multiple visits to become familiar with the dental environment and staff before they feel comfortable having their teeth checked. We would rather have them come for multiple visits and take things slowly, than push them to open their mouths, as we want to make sure they have a good experience.
We believe it is much better to make small steps than to push them too far, as their visit can impact their experience for life. Remember-small steps are still progress!
Your child's rights
Informed consent
Informed consent is a continuing process of engagement with patients, parents, legal guardians, lead caregivers and family members.
You should seek advice when you have any concerns about the consent process.