Meharry Medical College’s School of Dentistry is opening its new Abilities Beyond Life’s Expectations (A.B.L.E.) Clinic, one of only a few clinics in Tennessee dedicated to providing dental care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The clinic is designed to address a significant gap in dental care for adults with disabilities by combining specialized patient care with hands-on training for future dentists.
Fewer than 10% of dentists report feeling equipped to care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to the National Institutes of Health. Physical barriers, equipment shortages and gaps in specialized training contribute to oral health disparities for this population. American Dental Association research shows that more than 40% of individuals with intellectual disabilities experience severe oral health issues.
The A.B.L.E. Clinic was designed to help address those barriers with accessible treatment bays and adaptive equipment that can accommodate individual patient needs. The clinic will provide tailored dental care for adults with disabilities while giving Meharry dental students hands-on experience caring for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Through the clinic, Meharry aims to expand access to dental care for an underserved population while preparing future dentists to help increase the number of providers equipped to serve patients with disabilities.
