While nobody really wants to go to the dentist, there’s a big difference between a grumbling as you walk in for a cleaning and hiding under the dining room table when the word “fluoride” is uttered. This week, Dr. Kelly McConnell stops by to discuss her research on helping individuals with autism tolerate dental exams, including the do’s and do not’s of working with dentists and ensuring that the program in the clinic actually results in a successful trip to the dentist’s office. 4 out of 5 dentists recommend you listen to this episode (we’re guessing).

Articles discussed this episode:

Allen, K.D., & Wallace, D.P. (2013). Effectiveness of using noncontingent escape for general behavior management in a pediatric dental clinic. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46, 723-737. doi: 10.1002/jaba.82

Carter, L., Harper, J.M., & Luiselli, J.K. (2019). Dental desensitization for students with autism spectrum disorder through graduated exposure, reinforcement, and reinforcement fading. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 31, 161-170. doi: 10.1007/s10882-018-9635-8

McConnell, K.L., Sassi, J.L., Carr, L., Szalwinski. J., Courtemanch, A., Njie-Jallow, F., & Cheney, W.R. (2020). Functional analysis and generalized treatment of disruptive behavior during dental exams. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. doi: 10.1002/jaba.747

Appukuttan, D.P. (2016). Strategies to manage patients with dental anxiety and dental phobia: Literature review. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dentistry, 8, 35-50. doi: 10.2147/CCIDE.S63626

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