Community dentistry – it does more than fill in the gaps

I have worked in the community for nearly 18 years and specialise in assisting with the delivery of special care dentistry. In short, we offer specialist community services for patients with additional needs, who have either been referred to us by other healthcare professionals or general dental practitioners, who for some reason are unable to manage their treatment in the routine way.

What we offer is unique – from our specialist facilities to the services that we provide. Some of the equipment we use sets us apart from some other dental services, especially in the Suffolk area; community clinics have wheelchair recliners and bariatric chairs for plus size patients and these are, without a doubt, some of our most valuable assets. We also provide inhalation sedation, intravenous sedation and offer general anaesthesia at our local hospital to treat very young patients and children and adults with profound additional needs who are unable to co-operate in the usual way. What also makes us special is the way we engage with our patients, particularly those who have communication problems. We do this by using Makaton, sign language and picture books. We routinely see patients whose conditions progress to the point they can no longer attend our clinics – they may be receiving oxygen therapy or are bedbound – and so we offer domiciliary visits.