Special Smiles

Everyone’s health needs should be included in the healthcare system, and people with intellectual disabilities deserve to have access to a healthcare environment that best addresses their specific health needs.

Special Olympics MENA recognizes and celebrates champions of inclusion.

Millions of Americans lack access to basic dental care. Moreover, an alarming percentage of people with special needs are unaware of the condition of their oral health.

Patients with intellectual disabilities already face complications in finding and getting dental treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic has only made these challenges harder. Special Olympics Chief Health Officer shares her insights about these difficulties.

Attentive dental care is essential to an athlete’s overall health and well-being says Dr. Alicia Bazzano, Special Olympics Chief Health Officer, in a recent article she wrote for Dentistry Today. In it, she addressed how gaps in preventive care often lead to serious health issues for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Cindy has spent decades building skills and confidence, as well as being a role model to people with—and without—intellectual disabilities (ID). Yet, she faced a common obstacle to confidence when serious dental issues led to her losing a tooth.

The first-ever Pan African Games provided a one of a kind experience, including in Healthy Athletes, with 1845 screenings in just 5 days!

As local students made their way to lectures, athletes competing in the Special Olympics Sweden Invitational Games 2020 participated in free health screenings through the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes programme.

Vote Now for the Dr. Steven Perlman Game Changer video for best public policy video

Dr. Timothy Shriver represented Special Olympics at the CDC Public Health Grand Rounds in Atlanta on 15 October—a monthly scientific presentation featuring the important work that CDC is doing in the United States and around the world to protect people and save lives.