Many people fear the dentist, but for some, the dental visit experience is especially traumatic. For individuals with autism, the dentist’s office can be even more frightening. In this YouTube video, viewers are introduced to a new service provided by a dentist in Australia. For autistic clients, a local dentist will come to their home.
The dentist in the video got the idea from her younger brother, who is autistic. She noticed how unfamiliar instruments, sounds, and smells caused her brother severe anxiety.
People with autism often become upset by unusual smells or by too many sensory experiences at once. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, autistic clients frequently feel a dental chair makes them feel powerless and overwhelmed.
This dentist has now devised a way to bring dental services to autistic individuals’ homes. She now travels to clients’ homes and brings the instruments to them. She has seen that allowing clients with autism to remain at home – in their familiar environment – makes the dental experience less traumatic for them.
In the video, the dentist works in a female client’s home. The dentist works with the client in her living room and allows her to have familiar objects near her, and she explains each instrument to the client. These measures allow the client to relax and feel less fearful.
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