Shawn Richards is a proud Special Olympics athlete, coach, swim instructor, and announcer. He’s spent years volunteering and traveling the region, representing his home state of New Jersey at Special Olympics events. In January, he captained a Polar Plunge team that raised $4,000 for charity.
His dedication to making a difference extends beyond sports — Shawn also works with the Institute for Exceptional Care (IEC) to improve dental care for people with disabilities.
Raising Awareness and Creating Change
A few years ago, Shawn broke a tooth and was referred to a new dentist. The experience opened his eyes to the challenges people with disabilities often face when seeking dental care.
“In my opinion, they don’t seem like they have the ability to work with special needs people,” Shawn explained. “As a person with disabilities, I don’t feel like we’re heard by dentists or the staff.”
Shawn is excited to be part of IEC’s Delta Dental project, which is creating resources to help dental offices better serve patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
“This project will make a big difference in the world,” he said, “not just for me but for all special needs people.”
A Vision for Inclusion and Understanding
For Shawn, it’s about more than just fixing cavities — it’s about respect, communication, and understanding. He wants dentists and their staff to be reliable partners for people with disabilities, and that starts by listening to their patients.
“I’m hoping that we’ll be heard more and understood more.”
That’s why Shawn hopes to bring the tools he’s helped develop at IEC directly into his own dentist’s office. He wants to empower others with disabilities to advocate for their care too and believes this is one of the best ways to create real change.
Spreading Light and Love
Shawn’s passion for making a positive impact shines through everything he does. He believes in IEC’s mission wholeheartedly.
“I love working with IEC, and I’d love to keep working with them on other projects,” he says.
Beyond his work with IEC, Shawn carries a broader message about love and inclusion.
“We need more love than hate. And if we can bring more love than hatred into this world that we live in, then we can make it better. I believe that people with special needs will be the ones shining that light into the world.”
With advocates like Shawn leading the charge, change is on the horizon — not just in dental care, but in how society sees and supports people with disabilities.