Dentistry for the Developmentally Disabled

Since receiving a start-up grant from the Georgia Health Foundation in 2002, The DDD Foundation has filled a critical gap in Georgia's healthcare landscape by establishing and maintaining the state's only private dental clinic dedicated exclusively to patients with developmental disabilities. The clinic serves more than 4,600 patients with conditions including autism, intellectual delays, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and nearly 70 other disorders, providing comprehensive dental care through a team of professionals specially trained in serving patients with special needs.

The DDD Foundation has built an extensive referral network through collaborations with major healthcare and disability service organizations including Emory Autism Resource Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Marcus Autism Center, Special Olympics Georgia Special Smiles, and the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. In many cases, DDD provides essential services that these partner agencies have had to discontinue. The foundation also creates important educational opportunities through partnerships with Gwinnett Technical College's Dental Hygiene program and Emory University Pre-Dental Society, helping train the next generation of dental professionals to serve patients with developmental disabilities.

Impact

• Over 4,600 patients with developmental disabilities served
• Remains Georgia's only private dental clinic exclusively for this population
• Established referral partnerships with major healthcare institutions and disability organizations
• Provides hands-on training for dental hygiene students and pre-dental volunteers
• Serves patients from throughout Georgia, primarily from DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb and Coweta counties