Special Care Dentistry with Michael Thomas

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Michael Thomas joins the show today to talk about the Special Care Dentistry Association and share why special care dentistry is so close to his heart and such an important part of his dentistry career. He also offers insight into the unique mental, physical, and emotional needs that crop up in special care dentistry.

Listen in as we discuss the importance of understanding, connection, and trust when it comes to working with special needs patients, as well as how dentists can better equip themselves to provide care for patients with special needs. You’ll hear some great tips and techniques for communicating with and caring for patients who need special care in order to become acclimated to dental procedures.

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Key Quotes:

“The dentists who do have the most fulfilling careers—it’s the connection to the patient, not the connection to the procedure that really defines them.”
“She didn’t look at humanity the way any of us did. She looked at it without any hatred or prejudice or any kind of negativity. She saw people for who they are.”
“As the trust goes up, the need for drugs and sedation goes down.”
“What I’m seeing is that many dentists do not want to treat special needs individuals because they take too much time, many of them are Medicaid patients, and they don’t have the financial reimbursement that many other patients do.”
“They call it the practice of dentistry, and you are never officially done learning.”
“There are so many different facets on how you, yourself, can be more aware in delivering the best care possible to not only the patient with special needs, but their caregiver as well.”