Summary
ASD typically exhibit atypical development: alterations in executive brain functions such as social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, behavior, activities, and interests. Pediatric dentistry specialists may understand the background of these individuals’ characteristics and be aware of existing tools to provide quality dental care tailored to their needs. The aim of this study is to identify psychoeducational strategies that facilitate adaptation to the dental environment and the application of preventive dentistry for children and adolescents with ASD. A systematic narrative review was conducted with searches in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Wiley databases for articles published between 2015 and 2023. From a preliminary total, after applying appropriate filters, 19 articles were selected for this review. These interventions include Visual Pedagogy, pictograms, images, technology such as tablets and digital images, visual stories, SADE, PECS, and Sensory Therapy. Treatment with any of these aforementioned facilitative techniques is lengthy and requires multiple sessions both in the dental office and in brushing technique instruction to achieve success. There is a clear need for intersectoral collaboration between health and education sectors, particularly in preventive dentistry, to achieve cost-effective care, whether for the state or caregivers themselves, thereby avoiding costly and risky procedures like general anesthesia.
KEY WORDS: ASD, autism, dental care.
How to cite this article
SEÑOR, Z. M. F.; NARVÁEZ, C. G.; HERNÁNDEZ, R. M. A. Psychoeducational interventions that ease dental environment adaptation and preventive dentistry application in children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Desorder. Int. J. Odontostomat., 19(1):85-91, 2025.
