Ms Schwendner, what prompted Dentsply Sirona to focus on improving oral healthcare for people with disabilities?
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 16% of the global population experiences significant disability. This represents a significant portion of the population, and observations made by our team highlighted some of the barriers people with disabilities face in accessing oral healthcare. For example, many dental practices are not wheelchair accessible. In some areas, patients who use a wheelchair may have to travel considerable distances to find an accessible dental practice. We also learned about the stigmatisation of people with disabilities and the additional challenges that they face in accessing healthcare-related services. These observations prompted us to examine how dental schools were teaching disability care. We found that, in the dental schools we spoke to, the topic was typically grouped alongside care of elderly and paediatric patients, but curricula did not always equip students to work with this population.

Clearly, a blind spot existed. Increasing the availability of oral healthcare for this group of people had to begin in dental schools. Dentsply Sirona’s extensive experience in designing and equipping large clinics made it a natural partner for universities seeking to expand access to oral healthcare and improve the experience for people with disabilities.

Drawing on Dentsply Sirona’s experience of more than 1,000 university and clinic projects worldwide, what are the most critical factors in creating environments that genuinely improve access to and quality of care for people with disabilities?
As we’ve gained experience in developing clinics for special care dentistry, we’ve learned that most of the modifications needed are relatively minor and could be applied even in a general practice setting. For example, patients with disabilities may have travelled for hours to reach a clinic. That journey often creates stress. At the NYU Dentistry Oral Health Center for People with Disabilities in New York in the US, we helped develop a multisensory room—a space with cushions, music and carefully chosen lighting—where patients could spend time relaxing before treatment. Another way to achieve this would be to integrate these elements into each treatment room. Having a dedicated area for assistance dogs is also essential, especially for large-scale clinics.

It’s important to rethink every assumption in the built environment. Standard-height reception desks leave wheelchair users unable to make eye contact with staff. Having a tactile wayfinding system along the floor enables patients who are blind or have low vision to use a cane to move within the clinic or practice. Inside treatment rooms, instruments should be concealed in cabinetry so that patients can settle in before any equipment appears. Soundproofing is also critical in helping to create an atmosphere of safety and comfort. For some patients, a replica treatment room can be transformative, allowing them to become accustomed to the setting and equipment without the pressure of treatment.

It is also important to design rooms that can accommodate patients who cannot transfer from their own wheelchair. For example, at the University of Pennsylvania’s Care Center for Persons with Disabilities in Philadelphia in the US, we equipped treatment rooms with dental chairs featuring triple-articulating headrests, allowing patients who cannot transfer from their wheelchair to receive care comfortably while remaining seated in their wheelchair.

Dentsply Sirona has extensive experience in digital dentistry, which can play an important role for people with disabilities. Chairside digital dentistry workflows can have a genuine impact by reducing the number of visits patients need to make. This helps to minimise the stress and logistics of travelling to the clinic. The unifying principle is reducing complexity and anxiety at every touchpoint. Locating the facility on the ground floor can also make entry and exit easier.

A common barrier to wider provision of care for people with disabilities is limited exposure during dental training. How does collaboration with educational institutions help embed disability awareness and practical competence in undergraduate dental education and clinical training?
In our experience, relatively few educational institutions have dedicated programmes focusing on dentistry for people with disabilities. We’ve heard from students in the special care dentistry clinics our team helped create that they love working with these patients. Their experiences show that increased exposure helps reduce uncertainty and build confidence. In turn, graduates are more likely to provide care for people with disabilities in their own practices. That’s a compelling case for making this type of training a standard part of dental education. Our experience as a company in designing and equipping dental clinics at educational institutions can help universities implement these kinds of projects.

How can academic and clinical partnerships help move special care dentistry from the margins into more mainstream oral healthcare?
The partnerships that have moved the needle most have been built around shared conviction. When New York University developed what was arguably the first centre specifically designed to teach students how to work with patients with disabilities in a holistic sense, the project was realised through close collaboration between clinician educators, architects and an industry partner willing to think outside the box. We then built on that collaboration and experience and supported Penn Dental Medicine in the development of its clinic. These projects demonstrate what is possible, and I hope that they will inspire other institutions to begin developing their own models of care for people with disabilities. As more dental students gain experience working with these patients, more graduates carry that knowledge into practice.

Another way we can move special care dentistry from the margins into the mainstream is through education at the professional level. In 2024, we entered a four-year partnership with the International Association for Disability and Oral Health (iADH) to advance access to oral care and improve oral health for patients with disabilities. This initiative fits well with our sustainability strategy “BEYOND: Taking Action for a Brighter World” in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Our relationship with iADH predates the formal partnership. In 2020, with support from Dentsply Sirona, iADH co-organised a webinar on incorporating special care dentistry into the undergraduate dental curriculum. In 2022, we built on this relationship through a global digital event on special care dentistry, held in collaboration with iADH and other dental education organisations. Speakers from the World Health Organization provided a general overview, alongside speakers from institutions in Dublin and Spain and from the University of Pennsylvania. More than 300 people participated.

Last year, at the 2025 annual meeting of the Association for Dental Education in Europe, we supported a session on special care dentistry. The conference typically attracts a large audience of dental educators from around the world, making it an appropriate forum for this topic. There is also interest among individual practitioners, particularly in Scandinavia and the Netherlands, although not all markets have demonstrated a compelling business case, and interest among academic institutions is similarly uneven.

Despite growing discussion around diversity, equity and inclusion in healthcare, access to appropriate dental care for people with disabilities remains limited in many regions. From your perspective, what responsibility does industry have—beyond providing technology and equipment—to help ensure that this important area receives sustained attention?
We should continue to support these efforts through our technology and equipment. At the same time, we have an opportunity to do more to advance a more holistic approach to caring for people with disabilities.

The industry overall needs to be more visible. Dentsply Sirona, as the world’s largest diversified manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, has an opportunity to lead this charge. Our customers also want to see that we are working to have a positive impact on oral healthcare for people with disabilities.

Another area where we can lead is in helping dental schools make a compelling business case for investing in the training, infrastructure and clinical programmes needed to better serve patients with disabilities. The number of people with disabilities is increasing, partly because of population ageing and the increasing prevalence of chronic health conditions. All these individuals need access to oral healthcare.

Our hope is that we continue to raise awareness about caring for patients with disabilities. By highlighting the topic at conferences and industry events, we hope to inspire more institutions to establish dedicated programmes and encourage others across the industry to get involved.