Sensory Adaptations in Dental Environments
This lab, led by Sharon Cermak, studies interventions that alters the sensory characteristics of the dental environment in order to decrease children’s physiological anxiety and negative responses during oral care and contribute to increased child comfort as well as safer, more efficient, and less costly dental treatment. If successful, this intervention has the potential to revolutionize clinic-based dental care for the growing population of children with autism spectrum disorder, as well as for typically developing children with dental anxiety and/or sensory over-responsivity.
Funded Projects
- Sensory Adapted Dental Environments to Enhance Oral Care for Children (SADE-2) (Principal Investigator: Sharon Cermak)
Previous Projects
- Sensory Adapted Dental Environments to Enhance Oral Care for Children with Autism (Principal Investigator: Sharon Cermak)
Media
- Group helps get kids with autism get through dental visits / KCBS2-TV/KCAL9-TV
- Can researchers enhance the dental experience for children with autism? / USC News
- Building a friendlier dentist / NBC network affiliates
- Children with autism dread the dentist, but USC research may help / USC News
- Grant awarded to study dental environments / USC News