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Special Health Care Needs

366 - Safety Net or Quicksand: Special Care Clinics effects to Transform Barriers to care.

Saturday, May 23, 2026
1:45 PM - 2:00 PM PST
Has Audio

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Lauren M. Auzenne, DDS (she/her/hers)

    Pediatric Dental Resident
    Texas A & M University —Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX
    Texas A & M University —Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX
    Dallas, Texas, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • SH

    Sorcha Harding, BDS MS

    Clinical Assistant Professor
    Texas A&M College of Dentistry
    Dallas, Texas, United States

  • RL

    Robotham-Reid Lesia, DDS, MS

    Texas A&M College of Dentistry

  • Lauren Auzenne, DDS

    Pediatric Dental Resident
    Texas A&M College of Dentistry
    Texas A&M College of Dentistry

  • CK

    Carolyn A. Kerins, DDS, PhD

    Program Director, Research Mentor
    Texas A&M College of Dentistry
    Dallas, Texas, United States

  • NR

    Nina S. Ray, DDS

    Director, Special Care Fellowship & Clinic, Clinical Associate Professor- Department of Pediatrics
    Texas A&M College of Dentistry
    Dallas, Texas, United States

    • Research Mentor(s)

  • NR

    Nina S. Ray, DDS

    Director, Special Care Fellowship & Clinic, Clinical Associate Professor- Department of Pediatrics
    Texas A&M College of Dentistry
    Dallas, Texas, United States

    • Program Director(s)

  • CK

    Carolyn A. Kerins, DDS, PhD

    Program Director, Research Mentor
    Texas A&M College of Dentistry
    Dallas, Texas, United States

Abstract:

Purpose: To assess whether the establishment of the Special Care Clinic (SCC) in October 2024 at Texas A&M University College of Dentistry (TAMU-COD) reduced barriers to dental care for patients with special health care needs.




Methods: A one-year retrospective chart review was conducted using data collected from TAMU axiUm Academic Dental Software, spanning from the inception of the Special Care Clinic (SCC) at Texas A&M University College of Dentistry (TAMU-COD) on October 1, 2024, through October 31, 2025.

Data were analyzed and stratified based on eight potential barriers to care commonly encountered by patients with special health care needs (SHCN): (1) sex, (2) age range, (3) primary language, (4) referral source (internal TAMU-COD referrals vs. external referrals), (5) reason for referral (as defined by the TAMU-COD referral system), (6) whether treatment was planned within the SCC, (7) whether planned treatment was completed within the SCC, and (8) whether treatment required was referred to another TAMU specialty clinic. Inclusion criteria consisted of all patients who completed appointments in the SCC with documented treatment procedures during the study period. 354 patients met the inclusion criteria.

A descriptive analysis was performed for each item to evaluate the associations between the variables and summarized with counts and percentages.



Results/

Conclusions: The Special Care Clinic at Texas A&M University College of Dentistry has improved access to dental care for patients with special health care needs, particularly in facilitating evaluation and treatment planning. However, the lower rate of treatment completion within the first year suggests that barriers to comprehensive care persists. A major limitation of this study is time, as the SCC was newly established during the study period. As a result, clinic processes, guidelines, and policies were still being developed and refined to best serve this patient population. Early operational challenges—such as limited referral pathways and the absence of a dedicated phone line for scheduling—may have contributed to delays in care and impacted treatment completion rates.



Identify Supporting Agency and Grant Number:

N/a