Czech dentist dons panda suit to treat children with autism

No one looks forward to a trip to the dentist. But for children with autism, it can an especially unpleasant experience.

For Adam, a young boy with autism living in Southern Bohemia, traditional dental procedures can prove difficult or even impossible.

But Nova Bystřice dentist Dr. Ryšánek came up with a unique solution to be able to treat him: he donned a full-length panda suit to entertain Adam while performing the dental procedures, accompanied by his wife in a tiger costume.

If a photo taken afterwards is any indication, the unusual technique was a success.

APLA South Bohemia, an organization that assists people with autism and their families, shared a photo featuring Adam and his doctor on social media to great acclaim late last week.

“Doctor Ryšánek – a dentist from Nové Bystřice – and his wife transformed into a panda and a tiger to treat a boy with autism who would otherwise not be able to undergo classical surgery or with great difficulty,” the organization wrote.

“The picture clearly shows how Adam is fine … after the procedure. Thank you Dr. Ryšánek and we wish for more such doctors for ‘our’ children! Thanks to parents for the opportunity to publish this photo – we hope it travels far, and the respectful gesture of this great doctor will appeal to many people!”

Since being posted to Facebook on Friday, the post has been shared over 2,000 times.