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Welcome to Special Needs Dental Associates

For 20 years, Special Needs Dental Associates has worked holistically with patients, families, and caregivers throughout Southern California to provide comprehensive dental treatment to patients with medical and behavioral disabilities and has created best practices for providing care to patients that historically have not been able to access the care they require.

Dr. Timothy Lekavich, along with our well-trained staff, understand the consistent issues that affect our patients and work to address their specific needs by asking the right questions and providing dental care in the most effective way.

A Specialist Approach

Some patients cannot be treated in a typical dental setting due to medical and/or behavior complexities but may be candidates for dental treatment in a hospital setting. Alternately, many patients can be treated in an office setting that provides desensitization and experienced providers and staff that can work with patients that are extremely apprehensive about the dentist.

Services offered include:

It is our passion and commitment to creating a patient-centered Santa Monica dental practice to welcome, encourage, and treat our patients with the respect and the dignity they deserve, and look forward to providing continuous care.

A holistic approach to coordination of care

Timothy F. Lekavich, DDS

Timothy F. Lekavich, DDS Doctor

Dr. Lekavich has treated patients with medical complexities and behavioral challenges for over 30 years and views it as his privilege to assist patients with special needs to ensure they obtain the dental care they need in a safe, timely manner.

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Wendy Lekavich

Wendy Lekavich Executive Director

Wendy co-founded Special Needs Dental Associates with Dr. Lekavich in 2007. With 25+ years in healthcare management, she views it as her privilege to ensure patients with medical and behavior complexities obtain the support required to manage their oral health program.

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Sokee Yan

Sokee Yan RDHAP

Sokee is focused on preventive oral health care, patient education, and the early detection of disease, as well as building trust with patients and easing anxiety. She plays a vital role in helping patients maintain both their oral and overall health.

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Melissa Walker

Melissa Walker Operations Manager

As one of the first points of contact for our office, Melissa oversees the daily administrative and operational functions of the office to ensure a seamless experience for our patients, caregivers, and clinical team.

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Bailey Lekavich

Bailey Lekavich Outreach Consultant

Bailey works closely with our patients, their families, and referring healthcare providers to ensure a smooth intake and onboarding process while helping our practice run efficiently behind the scenes.

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California Dental Association UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center Westside Regional Center L.A. Care North Los Angeles County Regional Center Lanterman Regional Center

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