With this new series, Celebrating Developmental Dentistry, HELEN Journal and PAOH (People Advocating for Optimal Health) shine a spotlight on oral health professionals who are passionate about treating  people with disabilities.  We thank these professionals for their passion and commitment.

Ley Linder: “I do not remember the first time I met Nick.  If I had to guess, it was in Charleston, SC, but there is no doubt it involved a beer and laughing. Although I do not recall when I met Nick, I can say with absolute certainty when it was that I came to know who he is.  I have been asked by renowned physicians, distinguished professors, and countless friends, ‘What exactly is it that makes a person a behavior analyst?’”

Stephanie Rancich DNP, RN, CNL; Bridget O’Brien DNP, APRN, FNP-BC; Olanrewaju Abayomi BSN, RN’ Sarah H. Ailey PhD, RN, CNE FAAN: “People with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities on average die younger and have more health problems than people without IDD.1,2 Especially if the level of IDD is more severe, the person with IDD may not be able to verbalize health problems and is reliant on others to recognize their symptoms, leading to delays in treatment and poor outcomes. “

Vanessa Rastović, JD: “The Hidden Language of Care—A young man with autism arrived at a community health clinic for a wellness visit. The fluorescent lights in the waiting room flickered and buzzed, the noise of overlapping conversations overwhelmed, and his support staff explained that his visit would go smoothly if there was a quieter space to wait and a clear explanation of each step of the visit.”

The contemporary concept of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as defined in the DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association 2000) is relatively new. Excessive hyperactive, inattentive, and impulsive children have been described in the literature since the nineteenth century. Some of the early depictions and etiological theories of hyperactivity were similar to current descriptions of ADHD.

Editor’s Note: THE DISABILITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT has always faced KEY ISSUES.  Some have been resolved, some  still remain, and some are a work in progress.  HELEN’s latest feature showcases "older" articles that are still relevant and have focused on these key issues. This Edition: Infant Oral Mutilation.

The Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders (AOHAB), in partnership with the NYU College of Dentistry, the NYU School of Global Public Health, and the World Federation of Public Health Associations Oral Health Work Group, proudly hosted “Mouth Matters: Civil Society Drives Health Through Oral Health” on September 21, 2025.

There are literally thousands of journals published around the world that relate to the disability community.  It is virtually impossible to capture even a fraction of them. HELEN receives "stacks" of journals and selectively earmarks what we feel are "must read" articles of interest for our readers. This Edition: “Rising Cognitive Disability as a Public Health Concern Among US Adults”and more.

GATHER, REFLECT, LEARN, UNITE: Positive Exposure will showcase Local, National and Global collaborations at their new gallery in New York City’s Financial Center. This extensive gallery installation, celebrating their partners that are changing the world, one photograph, one narrative at a time, will be the central focus at their Fundraiser on October 23rd. We hope you can join this stellar launch and celebration.

HELEN Journal believes there is an abundance of Posters that could lead to organizations, institutions and providers adopting promising, evolving and novel programs based on learning about them at conferences.

MID-OCTOBER Edition: “Integrative Curriculum Managing Persons w Disability:; “Collaboration between Dental and Behavioral Team”; “Masking Effects on GenderSexual Identity in ASD”; “Nanocalcium Sulfate and Collagen for Tissue Repair”; “Smart Phrase Impact on Weight Loss Discussion”

Steven Perlman, DDS, MScD, DHL (hon): “I recently had an experience that both angered and depressed me. As President of People Advocating for Optimal Health (PAOH), my mission is to improve access to quality healthcare for people with disabilities throughout their lifespan. This includes those with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities.”

Rick Rader, MD, FAAIDD, FAADM, Editor-in-chief, Helen Journal: “Sixty years ago, Sir Robert Platt, the respected British physician and medical educator wrote in the British Medical Journal, “The first staggering fact about medical education is that after two and a half years of being taught on the assumption that everyone is the same, the student has to find out for himself that everyone is different.”

(COVER STORY) Anastasia Bui: “I  have always lived with a brain that runs faster than my body can keep up. When I was a little girl in Vietnam, I still remember my teacher chasing me across the playground, desperate to catch me as I bounced from wall to wall like a cartoon character. I was always getting in trouble for fidgeting, talking in class, or getting lost on field trips because a flower or a butterfly felt more urgent than the group. I knew, even then, that I was different, though no one had a word for it.”

From HEALIO: “Key takeaways: Asian, Black and Hispanic children with ADHD were less likely to be prescribed medication early vs. white children.

There is a need for more nonpharmacologic interventions in this population, researchers said.:

BOOK REVIEW - Steve Perlman, DDS, MScD, DHL (hon), Rick Rader, MD, FAAIDD, FAADM: “Jack Dillenberg is no stranger to HELEN Journal or to the world of the “Underdog.” Jack has been instrumental in bringing awareness to underserved, neglected and marginalized populations. He has been a clinician, educator, advocate, policy maker, organizer, diplomat and disrupter. “

Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA: “When I was a medical student, some enterprising classmate started a note taking service so we wouldn’t have to take notes on our own. He set up a tape recorder and transcribed the notes for distribution the next day. One day, our professor showed up with a tape recorder, set it up on the table in front of the lecture hall, and turned it on. The result was an electronic pas de deux of tandem tape decks whispering to each other as the lecture hall emptied. The model has not changed much since then.”

Holly Doherty: “That moment instilled in me a lasting empathy and a profound respect for the human experience in all its forms…Years later, I became a long-term care and school nurse, continuing the tradition of compassionate care my parents modeled. My husband, the former CEO of Special Olympics Connecticut, and I were blessed with three children. Our youngest was diagnosed with autism, severe anxiety disorder, and ADHD.”

The New Lancet Commission: “Urgent and decisive action is needed to address the 14-year life expectancy gap between people with and people without disabilities.  However, disability is generally a low priority for governments and global health funders across the world, with little dedicated funding or attention. This new Lancet Commission—the first focused on disability and health—will generate action-oriented evidence to make the case to global health actors as to why and how to include people with disabilities in health systems.”

The Disability Rights Movement has always faced KEY ISSUES.  Some have been resolved, some  still remain, and some are a work in progress.  HELEN’s latest feature showcases "older" articles that are still relevant and have focused on these key issues. They are "classic concerns" that continue to challenge us. We invite HELEN readers to review, revisit and reconsider them.  HERE is a piece for KEY ISSUES…This Edition: Med Student Creates ‘Day in a Wheelchair’ Experience for Classmates

Timothy Shriver: “Once you put a dehumanizing label on someone, it can become not only okay to kill him, but also virtuous. We must turn away from this attitude and instead treat others with dignity….There is a path to preventing violence that starts with a simple step.”