UB dental school receiving $3.7 million from New York for Special Care Clinic

BUFFALO, N.Y. ­­— The University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine is receiving a $3.7 million state award to fund a new Special Care Clinic on the South Campus that will serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Part of UB Dental, this specialty clinic is projected to open in Squire Hall in 2027.

“This grant allows the UB School of Dental Medicine to take a meaningful step forward in advancing our mission to improve oral health in our community, especially among a population that has been underserved for so long,” said Marcelo Araujo, dean of the dental school. “Through our Special Care Clinic, we will expand access for individuals with developmental disabilities, including those with cognitive, behavioral and physical challenges who may have difficulty accessing dental care in the traditional setting.”

The UB award is one of 30 awards totaling $25 million that the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is investing in organizations throughout the state, which include hospitals, community health centers and universities.

The OPWDD prioritized the awards based on projects related to expanding access to dental care, improving physical diagnostic space to better accommodate wheelchairs, creating sensory-friendly areas for neurodiverse patients, and improving access to specialty physical health services in health care deserts.

UB received the second-highest award among the 30 institutions.

“We’re taking steps to close the health equity gap for New Yorkers with disabilities,” said Gov. Kathy Hochul when the awards were announced April 13. “This funding allows New York’s providers to make life-changing upgrades to facility equipment and space to address some of the most difficult dental and preventative health access needs. This is innovation at work as we create a more inclusive New York for all.”

The UB award will cover the entire cost of construction of the special care clinic and its equipment, which includes eight operative units, a wheelchair tilt, wheelchair accessible panoramic X-ray machine, sensory friendly rooms, and extra-large restrooms that can better accommodate patient needs.

“This special care clinic has been our vision for a long time, and we are thrilled to receive the award that will bring it to fruition,” said Elizabeth Kapral, DDS, clinical professor in the Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, who will oversee the clinic. “It will provide a welcoming space for adults and children who may have mobility issues, complex medical conditions and developmental disabilities, such as autism.”

Kapral, who has taught at UB since 2014 as part-time faculty, joined the dental school faculty full time last November and has extensive experience working with patients with disabilities, including collaborating with People Inc. and Developmental Disability Advocates of Western New York for treatment of patients and residents.

Kapral said the clinic will help narrow a gap in care, noting that only 56% of adults with a disability had a dental visit in the past year, compared to 70% of adults without a disability.

“Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have a statistically higher rate of untreated dental caries and periodontal disease than their neurotypical peers,” she said, adding that many patients in this population also have sensory challenges.

“Dentistry is inherently a harsh sensory environment that can be difficult for our special needs patients,” she said. “The new clinic will have rooms designed with sensory-friendly interactive equipment. And our providers have extensive experience meeting patients where they are and treating them with sensitivity.”  

The Special Care Clinic also will prepare dental students to expertly treat patients with disabilities before they begin their professional practice.

“By improving the educational experiences of the next generation of dentists,” Kapral says, “future barriers for individuals with disabilities will be further reduced by increasing the number of competent dental providers.”