Webinars

The Overlooked Patient — Dismantling Oral Health and Perioperative Barriers for Individuals with IDD

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often navigate unique challenges in anesthesia, sedation, and oral healthcare. Differences in communication, sensory processing, autism‑related behaviors, medical complexity, mobility, and prior care experiences often complicate their perioperative journey. This VGR brings disciplines together around a shared commitment to improving care for children and adults with IDD, offering a practical framework for strengthening perioperative and oral health pathways, and energizing AADMD student engagement to help build a more responsive future. 

Speakers:
James E. Hunt, MD
Adjunct Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences COM, Department of Anesthesiology, Adjunct Faculty, Lyon College School of Dental Medicine

Angie Kuang, 4th Year medical student, Drexel University COM

CARE Down Syndrome

The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome has more than doubled since the mid-1980’s. Additionally, the population of adults with Down syndrome has increased 8-fold since 1950. Unfortunately, medical training and clinical experience in providing healthcare for these individuals has not kept pace. In this presentation, information will be shared about CARE Down Syndrome, an online resource that was developed by the National Down Syndrome Society to share information designed to provide information to assist clinicians to improve healthcare of adults with Down syndrome. Some key information from CARE Down Syndrome will be shared. Additional resources will also be discussed.

SPEAKERS: Brian Chicoine, MD, Jessica Kuss, M.Ed.

Brian Chicoine, MD, is the medical director of the Advocate Medical Group Adult Down Syndrome Center in Park Ridge, Illinois. He is on the faculty of the Family Medicine residency at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. He received his medical degree from Loyola University of Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and completed his Family Medicine residency at Lutheran General Hospital. In 1992, Dr. Chicoine co-founded the Adult Down Syndrome Center, which has served and documented the health and psychosocial needs of over 6000 adolescents and adults with Down syndrome since its inception. Dr. Chicoine has provided medical care for adults with intellectual disabilities for over 35 years and has presented and written extensively on caring for adults with Down syndrome.

Jessica serves as the Director of Education and Health Programs at NDSS, where she provides strategic leadership for the organization's education and health initiatives. She oversees the development, implementation, and continuous advancement of programs and resources that support individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and the professionals who serve them. Since joining NDSS in 2017 as both a consultant and staff member, Jessica has played a key role in expanding educational resources, advancing health and wellness programming, and strengthening cross-functional collaboration to drive organizational impact. Drawing on her experience as a former elementary special education teacher, she is committed to advancing evidence-informed programs that improve outcomes across the lifespan. Jessica holds a bachelor's degree in K–12 Special Education and a master's degree in special education from James Madison University.

Every THIRD Tuesday* of the month the AADMD Student & Resident Committee hosts interdisciplinary webinars for clinicians to learn from colleagues in a patient-centered manner with the purpose of encouraging comprehensive care provision to patients with IDD.

*Day of the week is subject to change.