Janice Tona, PhD, OTR/L
Clinical Associate Professor and Occupational Therapy Program Director
University at Buffalo
Janice Tona, PhD, OTR/L is clinical associate professor and occupational therapy program director at the University at Buffalo. She holds a bachelor of science degree in occupational therapy from Utica College of Syracuse University, a master of science degree in occupational therapy with a concentration in pediatrics and developmental disabilities from the University of Pittsburgh, and a PhD in educational psychology from the University at Buffalo. She is a founding member of the University at Buffalo Interprofessional Education Team, which received the 2022 National Academies of Practice Interprofessional Group Recognition Award. She has collaborated with University Pediatric Dentistry since 2014.

Presenting at the Nexus Summit:

Individuals with intellectual and / or developmental disabilities (IDD) face many barriers to receiving healthcare. Difficulty with sensory processing, motor control, and behavioral expression present barriers to quality dental and health care (Raymaker et al., 2017; Stein-Duker et al., 2019). Occupational therapy practitioners possess unique skills to provide sensory and positioning adaptations, behavioral suggestions, and environmental modifications, prior to and during dental services. Research indicates receiving services in a Sensory Adapted Dental Environment (SADE) decreases anxiety…