AccessibleSmiles 

We offer AccessibleSmiles as a Valley Mountain Regional Center (VMRC) vendored provider and as a private pay option. Below is the program's sequence. The costs are specific to the private pay option. If your loved one receives services from VMRC, the regional center covers the costs of the program. The program sequence with VMRC is a bit different but contains the same components. Learn more about the program sequence with VMRC: Learn More

Contact us today for more information!

Burgos Behavior

179 W North Street, Manteca 95336

209-457-7154

chelsea@burgosbehavior.com

General Info:

• Length: 6 months

• Who You Will Be Working With: A behavior analyst (with virtual consults from a dental hygienist to guide care) will collaborate with you to provide expert guidance and personalized support.

Program Overview:

We know how overwhelming dental visits can be for families with children who experience anxiety, sensory sensitivities, or behavioral challenges. Many families feel stuck, unsure how to help their child feel more comfortable or frustrated after past unsuccessful visits.

AccessibleSmiles is here to support you. This 6-month program is designed to help prepare your child for a dental visit at Bethel Kids Dental in Manteca, where they’ll receive an age-appropriate cleaning, X-rays, and exam. Through weekly sessions, personalized feedback from video submissions, and hands-on pre-work, families typically see steady progress over the course of the program. While every child is unique, our approach emphasizes preparation and confidence-building to help your child approach their dental visit with greater comfort.

General anesthesia is sometimes used to manage dental procedures for children with sensory or behavioral challenges, but it comes with significant risks and high costs. Research shows that general anesthesia may have long-term effects on brain development in young children, particularly under the age of 3. Additionally, the financial burden, often ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 or more, can be overwhelming for families, and insurance approval can be difficult to secure. AccessibleSmiles provides an alternative approach that focuses on helping your child develop the confidence and skills to navigate a dental visit without the need for general anesthesia.

Thanks to our trusted partnership with Bethel Kids Dental, your child will be cared for by a compassionate team with experience working with children with diverse needs, creating a positive and supportive environment throughout the process.

How We Help Families Like Yours

1. Reducing Dental Anxiety:
   Many children feel fearful or overwhelmed by dental visits. Our step-by-step preparation process is designed to help your child feel more comfortable and confident in a dental setting.

2. Addressing Past Challenges:
   If your family has had stressful or unsuccessful dental visits before, you’re not alone. This program is about providing a manageable path forward, tailored to your child’s needs.

3. Providing Practical Guidance:
   Most dental offices don’t offer the preparation families need for children with unique challenges. We’re here to fill that gap with strategies that you can implement at home and during dental visits.

4. Easing Stress for Parents:
   Dental visits can be tough for everyone involved. Our structured approach provides clear strategies that reduce stress for your child—and for you.

5. Partnering with Trusted Experts:
   Our relationship with Bethel Kids Dental ensures that your child’s care is in the hands of a team that understands and prioritizes their individual needs.

6. Considering Alternatives to General Anesthesia:
   By focusing on preparation, confidence-building, and gradual desensitization, we aim to minimize the need for general anesthesia whenever possible. While every child’s situation is different, this approach provides a safer, more cost-effective path for many families.

How the Program Works:

• Weekly Sessions: Families participate in 30-minute Zoom or in-office sessions with the behavior analyst. These sessions focus on reducing anxiety, building cooperation, and preparing your child for the dental visit. These meetings will mostly occur during the work day, between 9am-5pm. We are not able to accommodate late afternoon/evening appointments. Caregivers can be on their lunch break, in their car, where ever they are most comfortable, they don’t need to be “put together and camera ready.”

• Video Submissions: Families submit two videos per week showing practice routines or challenges at home. These videos are essential for tailoring strategies and tracking progress.

• The purpose of the video recordings is so the providers can watch the oral hygiene and skills practice sessions. The providers can give suggestions and move the client and caregiver along in the skill building. Without regular observations, we cannot provide accurate support to the caregivers and client. We will give caregivers written and video recorded feedback and suggestions to try at the next practice session.

• We understand it’s awkward to record ourselves doing tasks, especially when it’s tasks that we don’t have mastered and may be frustrating. We don’t care what caregivers and clients are wearing. We don’t care if there’s clutter on the counter or background. We are watching what your natural environment looks like during normal routines.

• We’ve given much consideration for how to observe the oral hygiene routines and skills practice sessions. There is no better way than using technology. Recording sessions is much more likely to show a true picture of progress. Having us in clients’ homes may work for some skills, but a true picture of daily skills practice are only possible if the provider is not in the home, and the routine is as natural as possible.

• Final Visit: The program concludes with a trip to Bethel Kids Dental, where the behavior analyst provides in-person support during your child’s exam, cleaning, and X-rays.

• There is no extra cost in the AccessibleSmiles program for the behavior analyst attending the dental visit.

• The cost of the dental visit is the family’s responsibility, either through dental insurance or self-pay. The dental office’s fees are not part of the AccessibleSmiles program.

• We recommend scheduling the appointment for 2 PM, when the office is quieter, and confirming the date and time with Burgos Behavior.

• Optional Desensitization: Families can schedule in-office desensitization sessions at the Burgos Behavior office, where your child can practice in a working dental chair. These sessions are included in the program at no extra cost.

Cost & Payment Plan

• Total Cost: $3,400

• Payment Types Accepted: Check, Credit Card, ACH payment. Payments are processed securely through Stripe.

Payment Options:

• Option 1: $1,134 deposit; $1,133 due in months 2 and 4.

• Option 2: $2,200 deposit; $400 due in months 2 and 4.

• Option 3: Pay in full for $3,000 (a discounted rate).

Grace Period: Payments received by the 5th of the month are not considered late.
Late Payments: Payments received on the 6th or later will result in services being put on hold until payment is received.

Cancellation and No-Show Policy

• First Cancellation/No-Show: No fee.

• Cancellations with 12+ Hours’ Notice: No fee.

• Same-Day Cancellations: $15 fee for cancellations with less than 12 hours’ notice, starting with the second occurrence.

• No-Shows: $15 fee for the second no-show and any thereafter.

Appointments are considered a no-show if no contact is made within 10 minutes of the scheduled start time. Parents are responsible for rescheduling.

AccessibleSmiles offers a supportive, structured approach to help your child feel more at ease with dental care. While every child’s journey is unique, our focus on preparation, collaboration, and compassionate care gives families tools and strategies to approach dental visits with greater confidence.