Disability Accommodation

TUSDM uses the platform Accommodate to securely collect student accommodations information and documentation. For current students and incoming accepted students with a student ID number, please fill out the Initial Accommodation Request Form on the Accommodate Platform - LINK FOR NEW USERS.

Important: 

• Please make sure to consult the dropdown menus below, detailing required documentation related to specific disabilities, before logging into Accommodate. 
• After you fill out the initial accommodation request form and upload your initial documentation, you can log back into the Accommodate Platform - LINK FOR EXISTING USERS to upload any additional documents requested. 

The Disability Services Office will reach out to students after reviewing the documentation uploaded into Accommodate. Please note that accommodations are not granted immediately and students must start this process well in advance to allow for the documentation review and approval process. 

You can always reach out to Maggie McMorrow at Maggie.McMorrow@tufts.edu if you have any questions on this process or required documentation. 

Please submit the following documentation:

• Neuropsychological or psycho-educational report that includes client history, DSM diagnosis, level of severity, symptoms, functional limitations, diagnostic procedures, treatment plan (if any) and recommendations for accommodations in higher education. Cognitive assessments should include full scale scores, verbal, performance and index scores. Sub-test scores preferred.
• Written diagnostic report that includes:
  • the credentials of the evaluator;
  • a clear diagnostic statement;
  • the diagnostic methodology;
  • current functional limitations;
  • expected progression or stability of the disability;
  • current/past accommodations, services and/or medication(s);
  • recommendations for accommodations in higher education
• If available, include information regarding cognitive or academic testing, and any prescribed medications.
• Documentation and evaluations must be from within the last 5 years.
• Documentation can be submitted through Accommodate. Please reference the "How to Submit for an Accommodation" tab, above. 
• If you do not have this report, please contact the Dental Office of Student Affairs for documentation information.

Please submit the following documentation:

• Neuropsychological or psycho-educational report that includes client history, DSM diagnosis, level of severity, symptoms, functional limitations, diagnostic procedures, and recommendations for accommodations in higher education. Cognitive assessments should include full scale scores, verbal, performance and index scores. Sub-test scores preferred
• Written diagnostic report that includes:
  • the credentials of the evaluator;
  • a clear diagnostic statement;
  • the diagnostic methodology;
  • current functional limitations;
  • expected progression or stability of the disability;
  • current/past accommodations, services and/or medication(s);
  • recommendations for accommodations in higher education.
• Documentation and evaluations must be from within the last 5 years.
• Documentation can be submitted through Accommodate. Please reference the "How to Submit for an Accommodation" tab, above. 
• If you do not have this report, please contact the Dental Office of Student Affairs for documentation information.

Please submit the following documentation:

• Licensed clinical professional may fill out the Verification of Chronic Health Disability(ies) - Form for Medical Providers, which can also be requested from the Dental Office of Student Affairs.

OR

• Diagnostic statement from a licensed clinical professional that includes diagnosis, level of severity, symptoms, expected duration, functional limitations (be as descriptive as possible), treatment (types and frequency) and recommendations for accommodations in a higher education environment.
• If available, include information regarding cognitive or academic testing, and any prescribed medications.
• Documentation and evaluations must be from within the last 5 years.
• Documentation can be submitted through Accommodate. Please reference the "How to Submit for an Accommodation" tab, above. 

Please submit the following documentation:

• Licensed clinical professional may fill out the Verification of Mental Health Disability(ies) - Form for Medical Providers, which can also be requested from the Dental Office of Student Affairs.

OR

• Written diagnostic report from a licensed clinical professional that includes client history, DSM diagnosis, level of severity, symptoms, functional limitations (be as descriptive as possible), diagnostic procedures, treatment plan (types and frequency) and recommendations for accommodations in higher education.
• If available, include information regarding cognitive or academic testing, and any prescribed medications.
• Documentation and evaluations must be from within the last 5 years.
• Documentation can be submitted through Accommodate. Please reference the "How to Submit for an Accommodation" tab, above. 

Please submit the following documentation:

• Copy of most recent audiogram.
• Diagnostic statement from a licensed clinical professional that includes etiology, type and severity of the hearing loss with and without assistive device, functional limitations, and recommendations.
• If available, include information regarding speech recognition threshold and use of amplification devices.
• Documentation and evaluations must be from within the last 5 years.
• Documentation can be submitted through Accommodate. Please reference the "How to Submit for an Accommodation" tab, above. 

Please submit the following documentation:

• Evaluation report from a licensed clinical professional including all measurements, data, visual fields, and visual acuity for each eye, with or without correction, if worn.
• Diagnostic statement including etiology, diagnosis, symptoms, prognosis, and treatment.
• If available, include phorias, fusional ranges, depth perception, and visual accommodation measurements.
• Documentation and evaluations must be from within the last 5 years.
• Documentation can be submitted through Accommodate. Please reference the "How to Submit for an Accommodation" tab, above. 

Please submit the following documentation:

• Diagnostic statement from a licensed clinical professional that includes diagnosis, level of severity, symptoms, expected duration, functional limitations (be as descriptive as possible), treatment (types and frequency) and recommendations for accommodations in a higher education environment.
• If available, include information about their mobility support device (What is it? Is it electric?), and any prescribed medications.
• Documentation and evaluations must be from within the last 5 years.
• Documentation can be submitted through Accommodate. Please reference the "How to Submit for an Accommodation" tab, above. 

The Dental Office of Student Affairs encourages any student who thinks that they might have a disability to get in touch with us. We can help determine whether or not documentation is needed, and if is needed, we can help students find an outside evaluator.

Any Tufts University School of Dental Medicine student seeking accommodations must provide documentation of their disability. Once we have that documentation, the Dental Office of Student Affairs will meet with each student individually to determine what accommodations are best for them and what is possible given the requirements of the program.

There are four sources of documentation that the Dental Office of Student Affairs takes into consideration:

1. The interactive process that the student completes with a Dental Office of Student Affairs representative.
2. Recommendations of qualified professionals familiar with the student.
3. Documentation from outside sources, such as a professional diagnosis, observations by educators, and documentation noting past use of services (including services provided under and IEP or Section 504 Plan).
4. Documentation of previous accommodations provided to the student at educational institutions or testing agencies.

Documentation is necessary to inform our consideration of individualized accommodations. It is through the interactive process that the Dental Office of Student Affairs informs each student on a case-by-case basis when updated or additional documentation is necessary.

Diagnostic documentation is kept in a confidential file maintained by the Dental Office of Student Affairs, and is not part of the student’s academic transcript.

While your diagnostic documentation is kept confidential in our office, as university officials, the Dental Office of Student Affairs staff are mandatory reporters when it comes to sexual assault or recent suicidal attempts or plans. This means that any explicit references to either of these topics that we read about in your documentation or discussed in our meetings at the Dental Office of Student Affairs requires us to connect you with confidential support resources on campus. If you have already reached out to these resources, or would prefer not to disclose, we encourage you to discuss the relevant diagnosis and symptoms/impact without disclosing details to the event that you’d prefer to keep confidential. If in the future, you would to be referred to the resources available on campus, we can help connect you.

The Dental Office of Student Affairs needs sufficient information to determine eligibility and effective accommodations for each student.

Documentation must allow the Dental Office of Student Affairs to understand how a student is currently impacted by disability and must be from within the last five years. Documentation must provide substantial and clear evidence that supports the need for higher education accommodations. If a disability fluctuates or is progressive, updated documentation may be required.