Pop-up Dental Clinic at The Center for Discovery

Access to dental care is a significant unmet need for children and young adults with disabilities, often due to communication barriers and difficulty finding providers who accept their insurance. To address this, the NYU College of Dentistry brought its fifth pop-up clinic to the Center for Discovery in Monticello, offering free essential services such as exams, X-rays, and sealants. NYU faculty and trainees use sensory-sensitive models, including weighted blankets, therapeutic toys, and headphones, to help patients feel secure and comfortable.

The director of the NYU School of Dentistry Global Outreach, Eddy Rosenbaum, describes why they provide this service. "What we're doing here is sensitizing patients to be more comfortable with the dentist. A lot of people have dental fear and anxiety, and what we're doing is breaking down some of those barriers so they're more comfortable,' he said. "We have an approach that's friendly, accessible, and approachable."

Pediatric dental resident Doctor Lindsey Chou said that real-world practice like this gives her invaluable experience. "I'm able to work with a lot of different patients and kind of approach things, as needed for them," she said. "It's very valuable and very, very wonderful for me to do that for each patient."