LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) School of Dental Medicine has launched its new Advanced Needs Dental Clinic, designed to cater to patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities, geriatric residents, and those with special needs, including children born with craniofacial anomalies such as cleft palates.
The clinic, which opened last month with support from Senate Bill 280, features eight operatories, including one without a traditional dental chair to accommodate wheelchairs and gurneys, extra-wide doors and corridors for accessibility, and anesthesia-ready treatment rooms with plumbed-in gases.
The new facility will also provide treatments for infants born with cleft palates or other craniofacial anomalies. Before the pandemic, a similar clinic at UNLV offered this care, but it was closed due to the loss of state financial support during COVID-19.
Approximately one in 1,000 newborns are affected by cleft lips and palates, with treatment costs often exceeding $100,000, posing a significant financial burden for many families.
Nevada was previously one of only two states, alongside Alaska, without access to a formal cleft palate and craniofacial team, forcing families to seek treatment options outside the state. The new clinic aims to fill this critical gap in care for Nevada residents.
