Special Needs Dentistry in Ashburn, VA

Most dental offices aren't built for children who need more. Dr. Woo and the team at NOVA Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics have spent twenty years doing exactly that, with children with autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, sensory processing differences, and other developmental needs. Every visit starts with a real conversation, uses preview visits before any treatment happens, and follows a tell-show-do approach so your child is never caught off guard.

Because pediatric dentistry and orthodontics are both here under one roof, a child who has finally found their footing with our team doesn't have to start over somewhere new when it's time to talk about braces or Invisalign. Our doctors are down the hall from each other, share the same records, and already know your child before that conversation even begins.

Tell us about your child before you commit to anything. Call us at (703) 729-7005 and we'll talk through what your child needs and figure out the right first step together.

Four Things That Make the Difference

• Share everything you know about your child. What sets them off, what helps them calm down, what happened at the last appointment. The more we know going in, the better we can shape the visit around them.
• Ask about a preview visit. A lot of kids do better when the first trip is just about getting comfortable: seeing the room, meeting the team, and trying out the chair. No instruments, no treatment, no pressure. We schedule that as its own visit.
• Sedation is an option, not a given. For children who cannot get through treatment comfortably while awake, we offer IV sedation, a deeper level of relaxation administered by our team. We talk through whether it makes sense for your child before anything is decided.
• We build in enough time. Appointments for kids who need more time are scheduled that way from the start. Nobody is watching the clock or rushing your child through.

The Sequence We Follow So Nothing Catches Your Child Off Guard

1. A Real Conversation Before Anything Else

Before we book anything, we want to hear about your child. What helps them stay calm, what sets them off, what worked at the last appointment. You know your child best, and that information shapes everything we do from the first visit on.

2. A Preview Visit, if It Helps

For many kids, the best first visit is one where nothing clinical happens. They walk the hallway, see the chair, hear the suction, and meet the person who will be working with them next time. No tools, no treatment, no pressure.

3. The Visit, at Your Child's Pace

We use a tell-show-do approach: we explain what is about to happen, show your child on a finger or hand, then gently do it. You stay in the room the whole time. If your child needs a break, we stop. Getting through half a cleaning today and finishing next visit counts as a good day.

4. Sedation, When It's the Right Call

When a calm room is not enough, we offer IV sedation to keep your child comfortable and still through the procedure. We walk you through what it involves, how to prepare, and what recovery looks like before anything is decided.

5. A Clear Plan Before You Leave

Dr. Woo walks you through what she found, what it means, and what to watch as your child grows. If orthodontic questions come up, Dr. Ullrich is right down the hall and already familiar with your child's history.

What Families Gain From This Approach

• Appointments that actually happen. Cleanings, x-rays, fillings, and sealants get done, not pushed back because the visit fell apart before it started.
• A routine your child can count on. Same steps, same faces, same room. That predictability makes each visit a little easier than the one before it.
• Prevention that protects them down the road. Routine checkups, fluoride treatments, and sealants catch small problems early, before they turn into pain, infection, or procedures that are much harder for a sensory-sensitive child to get through.
• Confidence that shows up elsewhere. Kids who learn they can handle a dental visit often bring that same calm to other medical appointments too.
• One familiar place, all the way through. When it's time to talk about braces or alignment, your child doesn't have to start over somewhere new. Pediatric dentistry and orthodontics are both here, so the team that already knows your child handles that next step too.

The Children We See Most Often

Every child here gets a little more time, a little more patience, and a plan built around what they actually need. We work with children and teens across a wide range of needs, including:

• Autism spectrum disorder
• Down syndrome
• Cerebral palsy and other motor differences
• Sensory processing differences
• Intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Significant dental anxiety, often after a difficult experience somewhere else

One thing we will always be honest about: some children with complex medical needs are safer being treated in a hospital setting. If that is true for your child, we will say so clearly and help you find the right place. We will not push forward just to keep the appointment.

What Care Costs and How to Plan for It

Every child's plan looks a little different, so we go over costs with you at the consultation, after we understand what your child actually needs. The main things that affect the total are how much time we set aside for the appointment, whether sedation is part of the plan, and which treatments come up during the exam. That way, nothing catches you off guard.

We accept cash, personal checks, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover, and we offer CareCredit financing if spreading payments over time makes things easier for your family. Insurance coverage varies a lot from plan to plan, so we'll walk you through what yours is likely to cover before anything starts, whether you're coming in for a routine visit or starting to think about braces or Invisalign.

What Two Decades in Loudoun County Looks Like in Practice

Dr. Woo trained at Harvard School of Dental Medicine and completed her pediatric residency at Children's Hospital, Boston, one of the most respected children's hospitals in the country. She opened NOVA Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics in January 2006 straight out of residency, and some of the kids she saw in that first year now bring their own children here. Dr. Ullrich joined after her orthodontic residency at Montefiore Medical Center, and that's how pediatric care and braces ended up under one roof: two specialists who actually talk to each other, in the same building.

Here's what that means for your family in practice:

• Sensory-aware care is built in, not bolted on. Things like preview visits, visual schedules, and going at your child's pace are just how we run appointments for kids who need them.
• IV sedation is available here, in-house, for children who need a deeper level of support to get through treatment safely and comfortably.
• No juggling two separate offices. Dr. Woo and Dr. Ullrich are down the hall from each other and share your child's records, so nothing gets lost in the handoff.
• Dr. Ullrich also sees teens and adults, so if you've been putting off your own orthodontic treatment, you can start here too, in the same office as your child.
• We build the treatment plan around your child, not around filling appointment slots. If the right answer is to wait and watch, we'll say so.
• Ashburn is home. We've been here for twenty years and we're not going anywhere.

FAQs About Special Needs Dentistry

How Do I Prepare My Autistic Child for a First Dental Visit?

Call us before you book so we can build the appointment around what your child actually needs. At home, repetition helps more than explanation: the same book, the same words, the same practice routine. Bring comfort items and tell us what they are. If your child needs to walk the room before any treatment happens, we schedule that as its own visit.

What if My Child Can't Tolerate an Exam at All?

We don't force one. Some children need two or three short visits before any actual treatment happens, and that's a normal part of care here, not a setback. If treatment genuinely can't wait, we'll discuss sedation as an option rather than pushing through an exam your child isn't ready for.

Can I Stay in the Room With My Child?

Yes, and for many children with special healthcare needs, your presence is the most effective accommodation we have. We keep you in the treatment room for as long as your child needs you there.

Is IV Sedation Safe for a Child With Special Healthcare Needs?

Safety depends on your child's medical history, current medications, and the specific treatment needed. We review all of that before making any recommendation. If a hospital setting is the safer environment for your child, we'll tell you directly and help you find the right referral.

Do You Handle Braces and Orthodontics for Children With Special Needs?

Yes. Orthodontic care runs in the same office as pediatric dentistry, so when it's time for an evaluation, your child is already in a familiar building with a team that knows them. Dr. Ullrich works directly with Dr. Woo, so there's no handoff to a separate practice.

Do You See Adults With Special Needs?

Our pediatric dental care is for children and adolescents. Our orthodontic side, including Invisalign and traditional braces, treats patients of all ages. If you're unsure whether we're the right fit for a family member, we're glad to help you figure that out.

Let's Talk About Your Child

Families come to us from all kinds of places. Some are still processing a new diagnosis. Some had a visit somewhere else go badly and aren't sure they're ready to try again. Some just want one team that will truly know their child, from the very first visit all the way through braces. That's exactly what NOVA Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics was built for, with pediatric dental care and orthodontics together under one roof.

You don't have to have everything figured out before you call. Just tell us a little about your child and we'll help you decide what makes sense as a first step, whether that's a full appointment or simply coming in to walk around and get comfortable. Dr. Woo and Dr. Ullrich are happy to answer questions before you commit to anything. Give us a call at (703) 729-7005. We're at 21785 Filigree Court, Suite 208 in Ashburn, and we're really glad you found us.

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