About

Special Care Dentistry is a referral centre concerned with the oral health care of adults with complex special needs.

Our aim is to provide accessible dental services in an equitable and respectful manner to persons with disabilities.

We offer a range of sensory tools and specialised equipment to assist during your visit.

Treatment can be provided under local anaesthetic, Relative Analgesia (Happy Gas), and General Anaesthetic.

 

Sensory Tools and Specialised Equipment

Am I eligible?

We are a Specialist Service concerned with the oral health of persons with a combination of, but not limited to:-

• Moderate to Severe Intellectual disability
• Significant Physical Disability
• Neurodegenerative disease, e.g. Advanced Alzheimer’s or Dementia
• Multiple Complex Medical Conditions
• Severe Mental Health
• Bariatric and Super Bariatric
• Profound dental phobias

For more information on the eligibility criteria of specialist services please refer to the current NSW Health Policy.

How can I use this service?

A detailed written referral is required to access Special Care Dentistry. 

This must include:

• detailed medical and dental history including list of current medications and allergies
• reason for referral and treatment needed,
• accessibility requirements,
• who will consent for your treatment
• additional equipment you may require, e.g. Hoist, Wheelchair Platform

A completed NSW Health Oral Health Specialist Referral Form may be sent to us via

• Email - SLHD-SDHSpecialistReferrals@health.nsw.gov.au

OR

• Posted to Special Care Dentistry

Level 6, Sydney Dental Hospital
2 Chalmers St
SURRY HILLS NSW 2010

Please note Fax will not be accepted.

All referring practitioners must use the NSW Health Oral Health Specialist Referral Form.

Who can refer?

You can be referred by your

• Local Dentist
• Specialist Doctor
• General Medical Practitioner
• Allied Health Care Worker
• Case Manager
• Other professionals involved in your care

Before your visit

Please let us know about what additional support needs you or your carer may require.

Guide/Service Dogs are most welcome in our department.

What should I bring to my appointment?

To find out what you should bring to your appointment, click here.

If relevant please also bring:

• Details of person who consents for you e.g.:
• NCAT - Consent to Medical and Dental Treatment -https://www.ncat.nsw.gov.au/ Pages/guardianship/gt_matter_about/ consent_medical_dental.aspx
• Details of person responsible - who can consents for you if you do not have capacity  - https://www.ncat.nsw.gov.au/ Documents/gd_factsheet_person_responsible.pdf
• Substitute Consent  - https://www.publicguardian.justice.nsw.gov.au/ Documents/substitute_consent_part5_2011.pdf
• Guardianship - https://www.ncat.nsw.gov.au/ Pages/guardianship/gt_matter_about/ matter_guardianship.aspx
• Enduring Guardians - https://www.tag.nsw.gov.au/ what-is-an-enduring-guardian.html

• Additional aids to support you during you appointment

How do I get there?

To plan your journey to the clinic click here to find the best way of getting here.

What to expect at your appointment

We will ask you questions about yourself and your lifestyle, your family/support network, and your health and medications.
We will carry out a dental examination and this may include x rays, gum assessment, saliva testing and diet history and together with you we will develop your treatment plan.

Resources

https://everysmile.dhsv.org.au/resources/