Patient Stories

Albert's Biggest, Brightest Smile

Albert has perhaps the biggest, brightest smile we have ever seen at the Children’s Dental Health Clinic. Due to a chromosomal deficiency, Albert has many mental and medical challenges. Though he is physically 14 years old, he remains mentally at the equivalent of a 4 year old. This presents challenges in trying to safely clean and restore Albert’s teeth. His parents do their best but Albert’s oral hygiene has suffered over the years and consequently, he has many cavities. In addition to Albert’s cognitive challenges, he has a heart defect that places him at risk for infections.

After consulting with Albert’s physician, it was decided that his dental treatment would best be accomplished in the operating room under general anesthesia. Only a select few dentists have the specific training needed to work with the surgical staff and anesthesiologist in the hospital operating room. The CDHC has 2 such dentists on the hospital staff.

For Albert, his appointment in the hospital was fairly easy- he just had to “sleep for awhile” while our dental team restored his diseased teeth. While Albert was asleep in the hospital operating room, our dentist spent six hours bringing his mouth to a healthy condition. Throughout his stay, an anesthesiologist monitored his heart and vital signs. Albert woke up and went home with a new and even brighter smile.