If you have a child with special needs, I strongly encourage you to think twice before choosing…read morethis office.
Our family has been coming here for nearly 18 years. My 10-year-old son with special needs has been a patient since about age one. This is not a review based on one bad appointment, which makes our decision to leave even more disappointing.
This office does not allow parents to accompany children back for treatment. It bothered me from the beginning, but we continued going. I wish I had trusted my gut.
Would you send your 3-, 5-, 8-, or 10-year-old into a pediatrician's office alone for an exam, strep test, vaccination, or blood draw while you waited outside? Most parents wouldn't. For a child who may depend on a parent for communication, regulation, reassurance, or advocacy, that separation concerns me even more. There is a difference between encouraging independence and removing a child's support system.
My biggest concern came while scheduling my son's recent appointment. Over the years, a papoose board had been mentioned as something that might be necessary. It had NEVER actually been needed.
For anyone unfamiliar, a papoose board is a restraint device used to immobilize a patient. A child can be placed on a rigid board and secured with broad straps across the body and limbs, restricting movement. In plain terms, a child's body can be strapped down to a board during dental treatment.
Full-body immobilization like this is not routinely part of ordinary pediatric medical care. Children become frightened during strep swabs, vaccinations, blood draws, and exams every day. In nearly 18 years of taking my children to medical appointments, I have NEVER had one of my children strapped to an immobilization board for one of these procedures.
I understand restraint may sometimes become necessary for immediate safety. That was not my argument. My question was: Why aren't we giving MY son the opportunity to succeed first?
This practice has treated him since about age one. His special needs are not new, and they had successfully treated him for years without ever needing the board. If he became unable to safely complete treatment, STOP. Come get me. Then we can discuss what happened and what should happen next.
After several phone calls, I repeatedly requested to speak directly with Dr. Soper. I never got that conversation. Instead, staff called me back and told me Dr. Soper said the "papoose board WILL BE IN THE ROOM."
When I explained my concern that this could create a frightening experience and affect his relationship with dental care going forward, I was told, "Well, one time at another location someone was hit in the stomach by a little girl."
That response solidified my decision.
The autism spectrum is enormous. Children have different abilities, sensory needs, communication styles, personalities, and behaviors. MY SON IS NOT THAT LITTLE GIRL. His care should be based on his behavior, needs, and history--not what another child at another location reportedly did.
I also have concerns about my daughter's experience. At 16, she had a tooth extracted here alone because of the parent policy. She later told me Dr. Soper asked if she could feel anything. She said no. According to her, he then told her his instrument was "all the way inside her gum." I still don't understand what purpose giving a 16-year-old that mental image served during an extraction.
I have seen reviews from parents of children with special needs who had positive experiences, and I'm glad they did. Ours was not.
After nearly 18 years, our family is leaving this practice.
Parents, especially those of children who struggle to communicate or advocate for themselves: ask questions and trust your instincts. Your child is an individual. Their care should be based on their own needs, behavior, and history.
I wish I had trusted my instincts sooner.
