School of Dental Medicine to Increase Care for Children with Special Needs
The Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM) is proud to announce that starting immediately, the School will increase dental services offered to children with special needs.
Through a partnership with the Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation (SIHF) and Touchette Regional Hospital, SIU SDM will have access to the hospital in Centreville to provide dental services to children with special needs who require sedation for completion of care. Additionally, SIU SDM will begin offering a broader range of dental treatment for special needs children at the School’s patient clinics.
In order to develop the growth of this program, the SIU SDM recently hired Dr. Andrea Bell to serve as a dental anesthesiologist. Bell received her DMD degree from the SIU SDM in 2007. Prior to returning to her alma mater, Bell completed a post-doctoral general practice – medical track residency, as well as a dental anesthesiology residency, at Stony Brook Medicine in Stony Brook, N.Y.
“It is extremely exciting to fully realize this development at the School of Dental Medicine,” explained Dr. Bruce Rotter, SIU SDM dean. “Through this partnership with SIHF and Touchette, as well as the recent hiring of Dr. Bell, the School of Dental Medicine will be able to expand services to special needs children with a higher level of complexity than we can currently serve. This is a positive development for both the School and the community.”
Early in January 2015, Bell was granted the necessary medical staff privileges at Touchette Regional Hospital and will soon begin serving patients at the hospital. The partnership with the hospital will allow the School to expand their services to provide treatment for fully sedated special needs children. SIU SDM will have access to a second operating room in the hospital, which will be available weekly for dental treatment to special needs children.
As this partnership develops, SIU SDM students and SIHF staff will coordinate to develop an educational program, which will be delivered to the parents of special needs children. The program will describe the importance of regular tooth brushing and positive oral habits to be displayed by children.
The SIU School of Dental Medicine students manage approximately 35,000 patient visits each year at its patient clinics in Alton and East St. Louis. In addition, students offer oral health treatment, screenings and education to more than 10,000 people annually through a wide variety of off-campus community outreach events. These opportunities provide students the training they need to graduate and become highly skilled dentists. The School of Dental Medicine is a vital oral health care provider for residents of southern and central Illinois, and the St. Louis metropolitan region.
Photo: Dr. Andrea Bell, SIU SDM dental anesthesiologist.
