Transforming Dental Care
Delta Dental’s $2M Gift Creates a Haven for Patients with Disabilities
The recently opened Inclusive Care Clinic at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry is not your typical dental clinic. Its focus is to care for patients with physical, developmental, sensory, behavioral, cognitive or emotional conditions.
The clinic opened in March thanks to a $2 million grant from Delta Dental of Illinois. More than 500 patients have been seen, said Dr. Leda Mugayar, the clinic’s director. Mugayar noted the clinic was created because only a few dental clinics exist in the Chicago area with dedicated support for patients with disabilities and complex health issues.
At the teaching clinic, dental students learn how to care for patients to better serve this population once they graduate from the UIC College of Dentistry. The clinic was designed to make patients as comfortable as possible. That means specially designed chairs, calming wall colors, weighted blankets, noise-canceling headphones, personal tablets they can use during treatment and a sensory room. The clinic also has a wheelchair lift to treat patients in their wheelchairs.
“This was made for them, to make them comfortable and to create an environment that makes this clinic a home for them,” Mugayar said.
Fourth-year dental student Briena Vaughn is working in the clinic during her rotations. She believes the experience will make her a better dentist.
“Being in this clinic specifically has encouraged us to open our mindsets and be more welcoming of patients who may not be patients we’re used to treating,” Vaughn said. “We definitely feel more comfortable.”
Dr. Susan Rowan, dean of the College of Dentistry, said the clinic is staffed by faculty who oversee 12 fourth-year dental students and one third-year dental student during each clinical session as they help give preventative, comprehensive and multidisciplinary emergency and rehabilitative oral health treatment and assessments to about 16 patients daily.
“The goal of the student clinical experience is to prepare our graduates to be confident and competent in caring for patients with disabilities and special health care needs,” said Rowan.
Lisa Lambros said the clinic is a godsend because it focuses on people like her 22-year-old son, Syed Hussain, who is autistic and nonspeaking.
“He gets happy when I tell him we are going to come to visit all his friends,” Lambros said. “I ask him if he wants to come, and he claps his hands. He’s happy when he comes here.”
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