Designing Inclusive Spaces for Education in Dentistry

Dental care is a core component of a person’s health and wellness. Unfortunately, accessing dental care can be challenging for many, including people with disabilities. A 2017 report from the National Council on Disability, “Neglected for Too Long: Dental Care for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities,” found that adults with I/DD are at higher risk for poor oral health and face substantial challenges to accessing care, including a shortage of appropriately trained professionals.

This report contributed to direct regulation changes with The Commission on Dental Accreditation approving new standards that require all U.S. dental schools to train students to treat individuals with I/DD and other special needs populations. Schools that grant dental degrees such as general dentistry, orthodontics, dental hygiene and assistant programs must now provide clinical training for this population or risk losing accreditation. 

This standard has a direct impact on the dental clinical training environment. Dental offices can be uncomfort