$51 Million HHS Award Targets Dental Care for Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Edited by Hygienetown staff

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $51 million to 28 federally funded health centers to improve access to dental care for children with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disabilities.

The awards, announced Sept. 23 through the Health Resources and Services Administration, come from HRSA’s Quality Improvement Fund – Improving Access to Dental Services for Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Each recipient will receive up to $2 million to implement and evaluate approaches to care for these patients, including expanded preventive and other dental services and workforce training.

HHS said children with neurodevelopmental disorders may have sensory sensitivities, anxiety, mobility challenges, or other factors that make routine dental visits more difficult, and that they face increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

Two recipients described their plans to ADA News. La Clinica in California will expand workforce training through its dental clinics and residency programs, with an emphasis on preparing general dentists to treat patients with special health care needs. Ariane Terlet, La Clinica’s chief dental officer, said keeping these patients in care as they age is one of the biggest challenges. Pediatric dentists may treat them into early adulthood, she said, but general dentists often lack the training and resources to accommodate them. La Clinica also plans a training curriculum for its clinics, clinical experience for dental students, and a virtual dental home model.

Salud Family Health in Colorado, which runs 10 dental clinics serving more than 36,000 patients a year, plans to train about 100 dental staff members in sensory-aligned care and communication, including dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and front-desk employees. Ethan Kerns, Salud’s chief dental officer, said the center will also:

• add noise-reducing features and sensory-friendly resources to treatment rooms and waiting areas

• offer desensitization visits before treatment

• produce introductory videos for children and teens

• extend its virtual dental home approach to community facilities serving children with autism

HRSA Administrator Tom Engels said the investment will help health centers build the skills and services needed to make dental care more accessible, and help the agency learn which models can reach more communities.

All 28 recipients will take part in collaborative learning and evaluation activities intended to identify sustainable approaches that other health centers can replicate. HRSA-funded health centers serve more than 32.7 million people at more than 16,600 sites nationwide.

Sources:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “HHS Invests $51 Million to Expand Dental Care for Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders,” Sept. 23, 2026: hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-invests-51-million-dental-care-children
ADA News, “HHS awards $51M to expand dental care for children with neurodevelopmental disorders,” Oct. 16, 2026: adanews.ada.org/2026/october/hhs-awards-51m-dental-care-children