Incorporating special needs simulations into allied dental education curriculum to encourage inclusion, understanding, and empathy: A mixed method study.

Objectives: Allied dental practitioners increasingly encounter demands specific to treating patients with special needs and disabilities. New standards by the Commission on Dental Accreditation require dental and allied dental graduates to have didactic and skill-based competencies to ensure awareness of and effective treatment and recommendations for these patients. This study sought to determine if adding a special needs simulation activity into allied dental students' curriculum would increase the student's awareness of and comfort level when treating patients with special needs.