24/10/2025
🦷 How do you feel about the dentist?
Personally, I hate going to appointments (sorry to all the dentists out there — nothing personal!).
As a youngster growing up overseas, we always saw military dentists, and sadly many just didn’t know how to interact with children. It stuck with me for life — I now only go to the dentist if I absolutely have to. My partner takes the kids because I don’t want to pass my fear on to them!
But here’s the thing: I’m (fairly) neurotypical. I don’t experience sensory overload from bright lights or sounds, and while I find having my mouth prodded uncomfortable, it’s not painful or overwhelming.
For neurodiverse patients, however, a trip to the dentist can be an absolute nightmare.
From the noise and movement in the waiting room, to sitting in an unfamiliar chair surrounded by bright lights, tools, gloves, and suction noises — it can be a sensory overload that turns a routine check-up into a traumatic experience. And, as I know from my own history, one bad experience can last a lifetime.
That’s why I’m so excited to share that, with the help of Essex Dental Clinic Earls Colne, Training2CARE now offers a dental-specific version of our renowned Autism Reality Experience.
This immersive session puts you in the shoes of an autistic patient entering a dental practice, allowing you to feel first-hand how intense a check-up can be.
💡 The aim? To help dental professionals tailor their environment and approach to make every patient’s experience more accessible, understanding, and inclusive.
This version is ideal for:
✔️ Dental teams and practitioners
✔️ Support staff and receptionists
✔️ Anyone supporting autistic individuals during dental visits
If this sounds interesting, drop us a message — I’d love to chat about how this experience could make a difference in your practice.