Special Needs Dental Services

A view of Portland from OHSU Dental Clinics in the RLSB Skourtes Tower
Dental Care for Patients' Special Needs

The General Practice Residency (GPR) program specializes in the oral healthcare for adult patients with special needs, including those with medical, physical, psychological, or social situations that require modification of typical dental care

Services are provided through the General Practice Residency program at two locations, the Hatfield Clinic at the OHSU Hospital on Marquam Hill and the School of Dentistry on OHSU's South Waterfront. 

GPR resident providers are state licensed dentists in an advanced education program and guided by OHSU faculty dentists experienced in delivering care to patients with special needs. GPR dentists provide the highest quality of care patients with special needs by working with patients, caregivers and health care providers to select dental treatment methods that meet individuals medical, physical, psychological, or social situational needs. 

GPR serves patients at two locations in the OHSU Hospital on Marquam Hill and the School of Dentistry on the South Waterfront. The location of your care will depend on the services you are receiving. 

We look forward to serving your unique dental care needs! 

The GPR program offers treatments including:

  • Full mouth dental rehabilitation
  • Extractions including impacted third molars (wisdom teeth)
  • Multiple fillings
  • Removable prosthetics
  • Implant restoration 
  • Sedation including IV and Nitrous Oxide

This is not a comprehensive list, but a list of treatments we commonly administer.  Please schedule a consultation and screening to determine if we can meet your dental needs. We also accept provider referrals.

Most patients are referred to GPR by providers for dental services to meet their special needs, but you may also contact us directly.  Call us and talk with a patient access specialist to schedule an appointment, get information about our services and receive cost estimates for common procedures.

Our care team is available to answer questions Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 503-494-8916.

Meet our faculty providers!

Initial appointment

At your first appointment, we will establish goals for your dental care and treatment, review your medical history, x-ray your teeth, and examine your mouth and jaws. This examination will allow us to develop a treatment plan specifically designed to address your dental needs, and consider any modifications potentially necessary to provide you with the best possible care. Future appointments will be scheduled to resolve any problems and maintain your overall oral health.

Preparing for a visit

Our goal is to provide adolescent and adult patients with the best dental treatment in the safest manner possible. We know that informed patients, parents/ caregivers and providers are all critical to creating positive care experiences.

To achieve this goal, we will need to gather as much information as we can, including an accurate and thorough medical history and guardianship/POA status of the patient. It would be extremely helpful to bring as much of this information as possible to the first visits.  Specifically, this information would include:

  • Current medical diagnoses, medications and allergies
  • Past surgical history, including history of any anesthesia
  • Previous dental records, including x-rays
  • Names and contact information of all current healthcare providers
  • Name and contact information of the patient’s guardian or POA
Working together for positive experiences

We will work with you to determine the most appropriate setting for care, and if any type of sedation would be helpful. We can provide treatment in a clinic setting, with or without sedation, including nitrous oxide and IV sedation.  Alternatively, we may recommend treatment in an operating room setting under general anesthesia. 

Care and treatment will be provided by state-licensed resident doctors who are training under the supervision of OHSU faculty members with significant experience in the treatment of adult dental patients with special needs.

We welcome your questions at any time and look forward to working with you!

We accept most dental insurance plans, including Oregon State Medicaid/Oregon Health Plan and Washington State Medicaid/Apple Health and will submit claims to your insurance.

To check your insurance coverage and get cost estimates call our Appointment Center Team at (503)494-8867 or email us at sodapptctr@ohsu.edu

Payment is due at the time of service. We also offer payment plans through CareCredit. Learn about CareCredit.

Contact us

Main Line: (503) 494-8867

After Hours Emergency Line: (503) 494-8311

Email: sodapptctr@ohsu.edu

OHSU South Waterfront Dental Clinic
2730 S. Moody Ave 
Portland, OR 97201
Floor 12
Access directions here.

OHSU Dental and Oral Surgery Clinic, Marquam Hill
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd
Portland, Oregon 97239
Floor 7D
Access directions here.

Read OHSU Dental Clinic’s Patient Appointment Protocol before arriving for your scheduled appointment.

Maps and directions

Provider Referrals

Connect Patients with quality care at the OHSU Dental Clinics

Program contacts

Malin Friess, DMD
Program Director
friessma@ohsu.edu

Robert S. Kravitz, DDS, MBA
Site Director, GPR Waterfront Dental Clinic
kravitzr@ohsu.edu

Caroline Zeller, DDS
Quality and Safety Director
zellerc@ohsu.edu

Chip Carriere, DMD
Site Director, Hospital Dental Services
carrierc@ohsu.edu