Dental Care for Children with Special Needs - The Tooth Fairy Centre Approach product guide

Core Dental Group – Every Child Deserves Dental Care

For parents of children with special needs, finding a dentist who genuinely understands their child can be one of the most stressful parts of managing healthcare. Core Dental Group recognises that many general dental practices, despite their best intentions, simply aren't set up to manage children with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, severe anxiety, or complex behavioural needs. Appointments end in distress for the child and the parent alike, and dental care gets pushed aside indefinitely.

The Tooth Fairy Centre at every Core Dental Group location exists to make sure no child misses out on dental care because their needs are complicated.

Specialist training makes the difference

The Tooth Fairy Centre works with board-registered specialist paediatric dentists, clinicians who have completed a three-year clinical doctorate in paediatric dentistry on top of their general dental degree. That training covers:

• Child psychology and behavioural management - understanding how children with different conditions experience and respond to dental treatment
• Communication techniques - adjusting language, pacing, and instruction to suit each child's developmental level and communication style
• Sensory management - recognising and accommodating the sensory sensitivities common in children with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions
• Medical complexity - understanding the dental implications of conditions like Down syndrome (which carries specific risks for gum disease and delayed tooth eruption), cerebral palsy (which may affect oral motor control and raise the risk of dental trauma), and many others
• Sedation and general anaesthesia protocols - knowing when behavioural management alone isn't enough and how to move to pharmacological support appropriately

A general dentist isn't trained to this level. Specialist paediatric dentists dedicate their careers to children, including those with the most complex needs.

A patient, understanding approach

At the Tooth Fairy Centre, the work starts before the child sits in the chair. Specialist paediatric dentists take time to:

• Talk with parents before the appointment to understand the child's specific needs, triggers, and communication preferences
• Use teddy bear therapy, walking through each step of the dental visit on a teddy bear so the child knows exactly what's coming
• Offer desensitisation visits, giving the child a chance to get comfortable with the environment, the sounds, and the team gradually, with no treatment pressure
• Adjust pace, lighting, sound, and the sensory environment where possible to reduce overwhelm
• Celebrate small wins and build trust across visits, rather than pushing for compliance in a single appointment

The aim is always to deliver dental care in the least restrictive, most comfortable way possible for each child.

When standard dental care isn't an option - sleep dentistry

For some children, behavioural management and desensitisation aren't enough. Children with severe anxiety, significant intellectual disability, complex behavioural presentations, or medical conditions that make conventional dental treatment unsafe may need sleep dentistry under general anaesthesia.

Core Dental Group has a direct referral pathway to a purpose-equipped facility where sleep dentistry is performed by specialist paediatric dentists alongside a specialist anaesthetist, with a dedicated recovery room on site. All necessary dental treatment is completed in a single session while the child sleeps comfortably and safely.

This means even children with the most complex needs can receive thorough dental care without distress.

The CDBS - reducing financial barriers

Eligible children aged 0–17 can access up to $1,095.60 AUD in dental benefits over two consecutive calendar years through the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS). The Tooth Fairy Centre accepts CDBS, which helps families access specialist paediatric care without the added weight of financial stress.

Your child's dental health matters

No child should go without dental care because their needs are complex. The Tooth Fairy Centre at Core Dental Group is built for exactly these children, with the specialist training, patience, and clinical facilities to provide genuine, compassionate care for every child who comes through the door.

Visit toothfairy.com.au to book at your nearest Core Dental Group location.

Last reviewed: 8 June 2026