The University of the Pacific's Special Needs Program provides dental care for patients with a wide variety of special needs including those individuals with significant medical problems, developmental disabilities, psychiatric disorders, people who are highly anxious about dental care, and elderly individuals.

Patients can receive dental care who have special needs that include but are not limited to: developmental disabilities such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism; heart disease; pulmonary (lung) problems; liver and kidney diseases; neurological problems including multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy; organ transplantation; cancer; blood problems; immune diseases including HIV disease; Alzheimer's disease and other conditions affecting elderly individuals; dental phobia, fear, and anxiety about dental treatment; and many other conditions that can affect an individuals ability to receive dental care.

Dental Treatment Option

Dental treatment for individuals with the conditions described above can be provided in the school's Advanced General Dentistry Clinic. Treatment options are developed and treatment provided in a way that considers the specific abilities and needs of each individual patient. The school's clinics are wheel chair accessible. Treatment can be provided with using special medications including sedative medication. Dental treatment can also be provided in a hospital setting for those individuals with more complex situations. Hospital dentistry procedures are performed by coordinating the efforts of the patient's physician, dental faculty and residents from the school, and social workers and other personnel at local hospitals.

Please see Advanced General Dentistry Clinic for Hours of Operation, Location and How to Become a Patient.