For many patients, a trip to the dentist is routine. But for individuals with sensory sensitivities or developmental disabilities, the loud sounds, fluorescent lights and unfamiliar environment can turn a cleaning into an overwhelming experience. In turn, many dentists lack the resources to help alleviate these sensory overloads.

For Lily Turner, it was a challenge accepted.

Turner is set to graduate from VCU School of Dentistry with the Class of 2026. In addition to thriving in the clinic and in the classroom, she dedicated much of her dental education to helping patients with special needs. From creating sensory kits to be passed out in the clinics, taking a leadership role with the school’s chapter of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD), and working with special needs patients in the Dr. Roger Wood Special Care Clinic, she was determined to make positive changes for an underserved community.

“I went to a few AADMD meetings at the suggestion of my mentor during my first year, and I completely fell in love with the patient population,” Turner said. “I learned so much from working with them, talking to them, and learning about their lives and their needs. I also saw a disconnect and that they weren’t always getting the specialized care they needed.”

Turner knew that she wanted to be a dentist as early as when she was eight years-old. For her, it was the perfect segue into combining tactical clinical skills and artistry.

However, her path to dental school wasn’t a straight shot. She grew up in the small town of Matthews, Virginia and completed her Bachelor’s degree at Christopher Newport University. Upon graduating a year early, she moved to Orlando, Florida where she worked as a floral designer in the Fairytale Wedding department at Walt Disney World for two years.

“It was a fun little side quest,” Turner said with a laugh. “It definitely taught me a lot about case management, communication, and thinking ahead. Disney is very forward thinking and intentional with everything they do; I would like to emulate that with my own practice one day.”

When COVID-19 shut the world down, Turner took the opportunity to earn her Master’s in medicinal biochemistry from University of Florida while also applying to dental school. When she started her education at VCU School of Dentistry in 2022, she was ready to hit the ground running and finally pursue her dream of becoming a dentist.

While at VCU, Turner became involved with the school’s chapter of The American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry. She currently serves as the chapter’s president. The organization seeks to address healthcare needs for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout multiple healthcare fields.

Turner has attended the organization’s annual national conference, One Voice, with her peers for three years. It’s an opportunity to learn about other dental schools’ efforts to help special needs patients, hear from experts, and find a community of likeminded dentists.

It was a source of inspiration and a call to action for Turner.

“Before opening the Roger Wood Clinic, there was a gap in the care that we were able to give to special needs patients in our general practice clinics,” Turner said. “At one of the conferences, students from another dental school led a presentation on ways that they were providing support for patients with special needs, such as giving them weighted blankets or earplugs. I started thinking of ways that we could translate that here at VCU.”

Upon returning to Richmond, Turner got to work on creating sensory bags for VCU SoD’s clinics. She enlisted the help of the AADMD chapter and her VCU SoD peers to help with this project. She identified the three biggest sensory issues in the clinics and solutions for alleviating them.

“The clinic is very loud; there’s 150 of us doing dental procedures at the exact same time. It’s overwhelming and overstimulating,” Turner said. “There’s also the bright overhead lights shining directly into patients’ faces. And then there’s the general feeling of not knowing what is coming. It can cause a lot of fear in our patients.”

She decided to include earplugs, sunglasses, and a fidget item to ground patients and give them a distraction in each of the sensory bags to address these issues. In addition to the sensory bags, the chapter also purchased weighted blankets and neck pillows for patients to use. The AADMD chapter successfully created and distributed 500 sensory bags during the initial run. Due to the astounding success of the project, the chapter created an additional 300 bags.

“It’s been so great to hear other students talk about how these bags have helped their patients,” Turner said. “We get to see the positive impact firsthand.”

In addition to creating the sensory bags, Turner has helped organize lunch and learn events with VCU AADMD to educate other students about different special needs and how to provide the best care for them. The group has hosted speakers from organizations such as Jacob’s Chance, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, or parents of special needs children.

“Getting to ask questions and learn about how best to meet the needs of special needs patients has been extremely enlightening for me and my classmates,” Turner said. “There’s so much value in learning directly from people what we can do to make their dental experiences better.”

VCU School of Dentistry opened the Dr. Roger Wood Special Care Clinic in 2025 as a space for comprehensive and dedicated dental care for adult special needs patients. It gives students the incredible opportunity to gain clinical experience treating patients with special needs while also giving patients a safe and calming space to receive care. Fourth-year students like Turner perform rotations in the clinic under the supervision of faculty. It is the culmination of countless efforts to address healthcare needs for special needs patients.

Elizabeth Bortell, D.D.S., associate professor and director of special care dentistry, worked with Turner both in the special care clinic and as the faculty mentor for AADMD. Turner cited Bortell as a driving influence in her dedication to treating special needs patients.

“Ms. Turner is one of the very best dental students that I have ever had the pleasure of working with,” said Bortell. “Her joy of life, kind personality, maturity, and desire to learn is inspiring. She consistently finds learning opportunities, seeks out challenging clinical experiences, and volunteer opportunities, particularly as they relate to patients with special care needs.”

Upon graduating, Turner intends to continue treating special needs patients. She described it as a priority to her no matter where she finds herself practicing.

As she prepares to graduate from VCU SoD with a wealth of knowledge and meaningful experiences both in and out of the clinic, Turner reflected on her work with AADMD as the highlight of her dental school education.

“Seeing the first and second year students stepping up and taking charge is really special,” Turner said. “The club has grown so much and done amazing things. I’m so proud of everything we have accomplished and I can’t wait to see what it continues to do after I’ve graduated.”