UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry has opened a specialty care dental clinic, the first of its kind in an academic setting in South Texas that will serve people of all ages with intellectual, developmental, cognitive or physical disabilities.
With spacious, custom-designed treatment rooms that feature adjustable sound and lighting, and even a multi-sensory “Zen Den” room to help reduce stress, the Phil and Karen Hunke Special Care Clinic occupies about 4,300 square feet on the first floor of the school’s Center for Oral Care and Research, at 8210 Floyd Curl Drive. The clinic is named after the San Antonio-area philanthropists who provided the seed money for the project. Phil Hunke, DDS, is a retired pediatric dentist.
The state-of-the-art facility includes seven dental treatment rooms and five rooms equipped with the ability to provide conscious sedation, all to accommodate disabled people and provide services for up to 40 patients a day. The clinic will serve the community and provide education to students.
There are numerous barriers to the current model of providing oral care for people with special needs. At the heart of the issue is the lack of a workforce trained and willing to provide services for this population.”
Jennifer Farrell, DDS, DABSCSD, inaugural director of the clinic
In one study, only 10% of dentists responding to a survey reported treating people with special needs, and only one in four students had hands-on experience with these patients while in dental school.
“Dental educational institutions are a vital link in building a clinician base to provide services to this significantly underserved population,” said Peter M. Loomer, DDS, PhD, MBA, dean of the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry.
Serving vital roles
The clinic serves three vital roles. In addition to seeing patients from across South Texas, the facility will provide academic and clinical training for students in special care dentistry in a variety of disciplines, including dentistry and dental hygiene, medicine, physician assistant and nursing. The clinic will serve as a resource for community dentists and social service providers, not only as a referral source but also to disseminate information and advances in the treatment of individuals with special needs.
The clinic is based on the region’s most comprehensive comprehensive dental practice, where patients receive care from experienced dentists, renowned specialists, advanced graduate residents or dental students under the supervision of faculty from the state’s top dental school.
In addition to the generous support provided by the namesake donors, a $2 million grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration over five years funds staff and operational costs and provider training. Also, $2.3 million from the Texas Department of Health’s Oral Health Improvement Program (OHIP) supports the goal of expanding oral care for people with special health care needs.
Spacious treatment areas allow for multiple access points based on patient management needs and with plenty of space for patients and their families or caregivers while being private. The Zen Den and a bubble wall offer sensory features.
Entrances, reception area and corridors are also designed to allow easy access and with corridors that include handrails and wheelchair guards. Patients will have access to a wheelchair incline if needed, although most patients will be able to receive treatment in their non-inclined wheelchairs.
Comprehensive examinations will determine which level of sedation is most appropriate for a patient, with five suites specially designed with the latest equipment to provide full treatment alongside conscious sedation. The clinic’s location within the Center for Oral Health Care and Research provides access to additional treatment areas that allow for full sedation if necessary.
“We provide a full range of preventive, routine and comprehensive dental care for all ages and dental needs,” said Micaela Gibbs, DDS, MHA, clinical associate professor and chief of dental service at UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry. “Individualized care plans are created based on the patient’s unique set of circumstances and tolerance of treatments.”
What to expect
The first visit will usually include a comprehensive oral assessment, x-rays, cleaning, fluoride application, customized instructions for home oral hygiene care and nutritional guidance, and development of a trial plan for ongoing care – and will last one to two hours.
The clinic accepts Medicaid for qualified patients under the age of 21 and select dental insurance. Third-party financing options are available for patients who require a payment plan.
As the clinic’s founding director, Farrell brings more than 30 years of experience providing care to patients with disabilities. Prior to joining here, she was director of the Dental Special Patient Care Program at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago for 13 years and has treated special needs patients through that program for more than 28 years.
In 2021, Farrell received the Lawrence J. Chasko Distinguished Service Award from the Special Care Dentistry Association.
