Special needs dentistry, also known as special care dentistry, is a speciality of dentistry concerned with the oral health of people who have intellectual disability, or who are affected by other medical, physical, or psychiatric issues.

Special needs dentists require an extra three years of postgraduate training after attaining their dental degree. They are then eligible for Fellowship with the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (FRACDS (SND)).

In Australia, there are a total of 15 registered specialists in this specialised field of dentistry and in the Northern Territory, there full time specialists available. Dr Andrew Lee is a visiting specialist from Cairns who travels to Darwin and provides support to these patients through the Royal Darwin Hospital and NT government.

He has generously agreed to provide support to us as a specialist clinical consultant with Compass Dental Care. With his help, we hope to provide better access to the community in this area of need.

Our facilities have disabled toilet access and has easily accessible parking for wheelchair patients. We have commissioned a room dedicated solely for the treatment of patients in wheelchairs and together with access to our sedation capabilities, we are aiming to be able to accommodate patients who have complex medical needs. Although we can’t promise to solve all issues in this area, we hope that in time, we can provide a valuable and viable service to the community