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We offer Sedation Dentistry Book Appointment ✨

Autism-Friendly Dental Care for Children in Delaware

A pediatric dentist who already understands. Dr. Morgan Morrow's residency at the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia included specific clinical training and research in dental care for children on the autism spectrum.

You should not have to keep explaining.

Many autistic children have had a rough dental experience — rushed visits, well-meaning offices that simply weren't built for sensory differences, providers who took silence as comfort.

At First Smile, autism-friendly dentistry is not an add-on. Dr. Morrow's residency research at CHOP focused on dental treatment for children on the spectrum, and the practice is structured around what she learned there.

What a visit can look like

  1. 1

    Before the visit

    You can request a social story or photo packet showing the office, the chair, the team, and what a visit looks like. We can also schedule a free pre-visit walk-through with no clinical work.

  2. 2

    Arrival

    A team member meets you at the door so there is no waiting-room uncertainty. Your child is greeted at their level, on their schedule.

  3. 3

    The treatment room

    Lights can be dimmed. Noise-reducing headphones, weighted lap blankets, and sunglasses are available. Sensory items live in the room.

  4. 4

    During the exam or treatment

    Tell-show-do, every step. Visual schedule on the wall. Frequent check-ins. Breaks whenever needed, no questions asked. Parent stays in the chair beside the child.

  5. 5

    If a step does not work

    We stop and re-plan. We do not push through. We will reschedule, or break the visit into smaller pieces, or discuss sedation options openly with you.

Our commitments

  • ✓No restraint without informed consent, and never as a first option.
  • ✓Tell-show-do for every step of every visit. No surprises.
  • ✓Parent stays in the chair beside your child whenever you want.
  • ✓Breaks any time your child signals they need one.
  • ✓We will stop and re-plan rather than push through a hard moment.
  • ✓Visual schedules, sensory tools, and pre-visit materials available for every appointment.

Working alongside your child's care team

Many of our families work with a pediatrician, developmental pediatrician, occupational or speech therapist, ABA team, or behavioral health provider. With your permission, we coordinate care so the dental plan supports the rest of your child's plan instead of working against it.

Common questions

How is this different from a regular pediatric dental visit?
Every visit at First Smile is paced for the child, but autism-friendly visits add specific protocols: social stories before the visit, sensory accommodations on hand, visual schedules during the visit, and a team trained to read your child's signals rather than push past them.
Will I be in the room with my child?
Yes, always — for every part of the visit if that is what you and your child prefer. Many of our autism-spectrum patients have a parent next to them in the chair for years.
My child is nonverbal. Can you still do an exam?
Yes. We adapt every visit to your child's communication profile. We rely on visual cues, parent translation, and slow pacing. We never assume comfort because of a lack of protest.
What if my child cannot tolerate the exam at all?
That happens, and it is okay. We may break the appointment into shorter desensitization visits, or we discuss sedation options including nitrous oxide, oral conscious sedation, or, for complex cases, hospital-based general anesthesia. Every option is your choice with full information.
Do you take Medicaid?
Yes. We accept all Delaware Medicaid (DMAP) plans, including Diamond State Health Plan, Diamond State Health Plan Plus, Highmark Health Options, and AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware. Many of our autism-spectrum families are on Medicaid and we welcome them at both locations.

Start with a phone call

For autism-friendly visits we recommend a phone conversation first. Tell us about your child. We will build the right first visit together.

Call (302) 376-3750More on special needs care