Sensory-adapted dental rooms significantly reduce autistic children’s stress during dental appointments

Leah Stein Duker, lead author and assistant professor at the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, said, “We’ve shown that the combination of curated visual, auditory and tactile adaptations — all of which are easily implemented, relatively inexpensive and don’t require training to safely use — led to statistically significant decreases in autistic children’s behavioural and physiological distress during dental cleanings.”

Compared to typically developing peers, autistic children experience greater oral health care challenges, which are often associated with heightened responses to sensory input. The dentist’s office is filled with potentially overwhelming stimuli such as bright fluorescent lighting, whirring electric hand tools and reclining chairs. Leah and the SADE research team, including colleagues from the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, are identifying and testing innovative approaches that can help alleviate those challenges in order to increase access to and efficacy of oral care.