Special Needs & Medically Compromised Individuals

The UCLA School of Dentistry is committed to providing quality dental care to the entire community, this includes individuals with severe developmental disabilities and complex medical histories, like end stage organ disease, cancers and associated therapies, complex syndromes, intellectual disabled, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, and dementia.

The dental school operates one of the only clinics in the region that accepts medically compromised patients, our Special Patient Care Clinic. In just one year, the SPC clinic administers almost 2,000 patient visits, providing general dentistry, oral hygiene, urgent and emergency care, and oral disease prevention, as well as more advanced and complex treatments like root canal therapy, periodontal treatment, extractions, and advanced restorative procedures. And treats nearly 300 patients under anesthesia.

Special Patient Care Dentistry
Special Patient Care Dentistry

For most of our patients, the UCLA SPC is the only option in the area to provide the advanced level of care required, while at a reasonable cost. It’s not unusual for patients to travel hours for care at UCLA.

In addition to operating our busy clinic, UCLA offers a postgraduate General Practice Residency program that accepts six dentists annually under the guidance of nationally renowned clinicians in hospital dentistry. Upon completion of the program, our graduates are prepared to work in a hospital and treat compromised patients.

UCLA is dedicated to increasing the number of qualified, skilled specialists ready to treat patients who may be suffering, through no fault of their own.

Contact Us

If you are interested in supporting our Special Patient Care initiatives, please contact:

Sarah Porter
Executive Director of Development & Alumni Relations
Phone: (310) 206-6079

Email: sporter@support.ucla.edu

Dr. Eric Sung
Chair of the Section of Special Patient Care
UCPLA Endowed Chair for Special Patient Care
Phone: (310) 206-6407
Email: esung@dentistry.ucla.edu