Taking Stress out of the Healthcare Experience

Visiting the dentist or doctor can be anxiety provoking for many. But for neurodivergent patients, the stresses and discomfort can be extreme.   

With the support of the Azrieli Foundation, a new community-based clinic is opening in fall 2023 in west-central Montreal to address the gap in medical and dental services for intellectually and developmentally disabled adults. 

McGill University, the Montreal General Hospital and the Jewish General Hospital have collaborated with the Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre (CIUSSS) for West-Central Montreal to open this new, universally accessible clinic, which will provide about 900 dental and 750 medical visits per year. It is a much-needed complement to Montreal’s only dental clinic for neurodivergent patients, affiliated with McGill University Health Centre, which already receives demand exceeding its capacity.  

The Azrieli Foundation is helping to fund construction costs and cover equipment, staffing and operating expenses over the clinic’s first four years. The long-term objective is to obtain government funding for its continued operations. 

The clinic is designed with soothing sounds, lighting and colours and includes a “Snoezelen” multi-sensory room to decrease the need for sedation and offer a comfortable and safe environment.  

“We wanted an innovative clinic that would provide medical and dental services tailored to our adult neurodivergent population,” says Filomena Novello, Associate Director of Rehabilitation and Multidisciplinary Services at CIUSSS West-Central Montreal. “The clinic will offer longer appointment times and specialized lighting and equipment and be staffed by clinicians with the appropriate training and expertise to care for our clients.”