ASSESSMENT OF A DENTAL CLINIC AND A DENTAL SCHOOL CURRICULUM ESTABLISHED TO IMPROVE ORAL HEALTH FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

Resnick Auditorium

Objective. To assess the level of parent satisfaction with special needs pediatric dental clinic (PDC) and the effectiveness of a dental school curriculum established to improve oral health among children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Background. Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine (NSU-CDM) developed a didactic curriculum and established a clinic, funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to educate and train pediatric dental residents to acquire skills and knowledge in meeting the dental care needs of children with ASDs. Methods. Data for this study was collected through: 1) A 42-item survey was sent to the parents/caregivers of children receiving services at PDC to assess parent satisfaction, 2) Pre-test and post-tests instruments were used to assess knowledge gain among residents, and 3) A 13-item impact survey was administered to residents to assess their opinions and satisfaction on the curriculum. Results. Almost all responded parents were satisfied (97%) with the PDC and the services provided. A significant difference in mean class knowledge and percent change in knowledge (P < 0.05) during the post-tests was observed among the residents. 100% of responding residents strongly agreed/ agreed that the didactic curriculum increased their knowledge and that they received adequate clinical exposure to manage children with ASDs. Conclusion. The services provided at PDC exceeded or met the expectations of the responding parents. Residents were highly satisfied with both the ASD clinical and didactic training Grants. This study was funded by a grant from HRSA.