A new private dental clinic catering for people with special needs has set up shop in Werribee.
The Western Special Needs Dentistry practice opened earlier this month to treat patients with physical and intellectual disabilities. It operates on Tuesdays from the Wyndham Periodontics and Dental Implants clinic.
The practice also caters for people suffering from anxiety and phobias, and elderly patients with dementia.
It’s the first clinic of its kind in the west.
Dentist Helen Marchant says the clinic will work with the Wyndham Private Hospital to perform fillings and any dental treatment requiring general anaesthetic.
“A lot of general dentists don’t feel comfortable treating somebody with a long list of medical issues and medications.,” Dr Marchant said.
“It’s a relatively new specialty, only around since about 2003, and a fantastic career path for dentists interested in treating this broad range of people.
“Our approach is very much individualised. We take into consideration all the particular needs of the patient and liaise with their medical specialists,” she said. “It’s about understanding each patient’s tolerance. We might start examining with a toothbrush as a gradual introduction to build trust with the patient.
“We use music a lot; we try to create a positive atmosphere.”
Dr Marchant, who also works at a special- needs dentistry at Blackburn, trained in Birmingham, England, and worked in the public sector there for several years.
“A lot of people felt that special-needs dentistry wouldn’t work privately because people with disabilities are generally eligible for public services, but one of my families said to me recently that people with disabilities should be able to choose.”
