Access to dental care in individuals with disability: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review was conducted to explore the factors influencing access to oral health services and to identify and examine the strategies to improve the access. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Scopus and Embase databases were searched. Studies except editorials reported in English regardless of the study design were included. Risk of Bias assessment was carried out using Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Newcastle Ottawa Scale and The Joanna Briggs Institute tool for cross-sectional, case-control and cohort and qualitative studies, respectively. RESULTS: In total, 11,372 records were initially identified, eventually leading to 12 relevant publications to be included in the review. Individuals valued oral health but found it difficult to access oral health services. Dental care was mainly accessed during emergencies and participants felt apprehensive in visiting dentists. Caregiver's and dentist's perspective was also reported. CONCLUSION: There is a need for provision of education, training and increasing awareness on dental hygiene and annual dental checkups to improve access.

Special care in dentistry in France: Issues, current situation, outlook / Les soins spécifiques en odontologie en France : enjeux, état des lieux, perspectives

The question of oral health care and access to it for persons with disabilities is a key public health issue. This contribution describes the general landscape of access to oral health care for persons with disabilities since Law no.2005-102 of February 11, 2005, taking a broad approach that spans initial training and continuing education in the sector, the Romain Jacob charter, and the implementation of several networks. It also provides an analysis of the use of financial measures to incentivize the recognition of overtime spent providing care for persons with disabilities. The results of this study show that: considerable progress has been made in training; the missions of disability specialists must be redefined at the departmental level to enable these professionals to play their role; the enhanced financial recompense offered for this care is a step in the right direction but is insufficient to improve access to care for persons with disabilities; and, although care networks have proliferated, their future is uncertain given the precariousness of their funding. They remain, however, a system for providing care operating in parallel to mainstream care. While definite progress has been made over the past ten years, the Handifaction barometer shows that there is still much room for improvement as regards persons with disabilities' satisfaction with access to oral health care in France.

La question des soins buccodentaires et d'accès aux soins des personnes en situation de handicap est une question de santé publique primordiale. L'objectif est de décrire le paysage général de l'accès aux soins oraux des Personnes en situation de handicap depuis la loi du 11 février 2005. Un descriptif allant de la formation initiale à la formation continue en passant par l'engagement à appliquer la charte Romain Jacob et à la mise en place d'un certain nombre de réseaux est rapporté. Une analyse de l'utilisation des mesures pécuniaires incitatives à la prise en compte du temps supplémentaire de prise en soin des personnes handicapés est réalisé. Les résultats de ce descriptif montrent : Que de grands progrès ont été réalisés en matière de formation. Qu'une redéfinition des missions des référents handicap au niveau des ordres départementaux est nécessaire pour qu'ils puissent jouer leur rôle. Que la valorisation financière avec le supplément appliqué à la prise en charge est une avancée mais reste insuffisante pour améliorer l'accès aux soins des personnes en situation de handicap.Que les réseaux de soins se sont multipliés mais ont un avenir incertain compte tenu de la précarité de leur financement. Ils restent, cependant, un système de prise en charge parallèle à l'accès aux soins de droit commun. Si des progrès certains ont été constatés ces dix dernières années, le baromètre d'Handifaction reste très perfectible quant à la satisfaction des personnes en situation de handicap de l'accès aux soins buccodentaire sur le territoire.

Impact of the special care dentistry education on Malaysian students' attitudes, self-efficacy and intention to treat people with learning disability.

INTRODUCTION: Special Care Dentistry (SCD) education has been introduced in Malaysia, but there are limited number of studies about its impact to students. Thus, this study aimed to explore the level of students' readiness to treat people with learning disability (PWLD) based on their attitudes, self-efficacy and intention to treat. METHODS: A questionnaire was developed based on the Dental Student Attitude to the Handicapped Scale, Scale of Attitudes to the Disabled Persons and Health Action Process Approach. The self-administered, validated questionnaire was tested for reliability (Cronbach's alpha = .71-.81), before being distributed to clinical dental students of both genders from two universities (University A, n = 176 and University B, n = 175). Quantitative data were analysed via t test and ANOVA (p < .05) using the SPSS software. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in mean total attitude score between the universities, although dental students from University A, who mostly reported having received hands-on clinical experience in SCD and exposure to Disability Equality Training (DET), showed significantly higher individual mean attitude score for 5 (out of 24) attitudinal items. The mean total self-efficacy score and individual mean self-efficacy score for 1 (out of 5) self-efficacy items were also significantly higher amongst University A dental students. The intention to treat PWLD was not significantly influenced by university, gender or year of study. CONCLUSION: Incorporation of SCD education in the undergraduate curriculum, with hands-on clinical experience and exposure to DET, is recommended to equip students to be efficient oral healthcare providers for PWLD.

Reconstruction of Oromandibular Defect After Tumor Resection by Sternomastoid-clavicular Flap.

ABSTRACT: The study aims to evaluate sternocleidomastoid-clavicular osteo-myocutaneous flap (SCM-OMCF) for reconstruction of mandibular defects after tumor resection. In the period between 2010 and 2018, thirteen patients with primary mandibular tumors underwent mandibular resection and reconstruction with SCM-OMCF. Patients were followed up for 10 to 66 months. Hospital was 13 ±â€Š4 days. All patients started fluid in the 2nd day. The mean time to start oral fluid was 7.5 ±â€Š0.8 day. Four (30.8%) patients suffered from complications (infection and salivary leak in 1 case due to partial flap loss, donor wound dehiscence in 1 case, deep venous thrombosis in 1 case and chest infection in 1 case). None of our cases experienced motor disability. Two cases (15.9%) underwent reoperations. The overall aesthetic outcome was found excellent in 5 cases, satisfactory in 5 cases and fair in 3 cases. The functional outcomes were satisfactory. Tumor recurrences were detected in 2 (15.9%) patients. Two patients died during follow up within 2 years after 1st surgery due to local and distant recurrences. SCM-OMCF is a versatile, safe and simple technique for reconstructing mandibular defects less than 11 cm.

Optimising activity pacing to promote a physically active lifestyle in medical settings: A narrative review informed by clinical and sports pacing research.

Regular exercise can improve wellbeing, yet data are scarce on how persons with disabling conditions may benefit from active lifestyles, due to the complexities of exercise prescription in this population. A novel medical concept for exercise prescription called activity pacing is the subject of this review, which identifies the potential for this strategy to optimally integrate existing medical and sports medicine approaches in promoting physical activity in persons with disabling conditions. Activity pacing is a goal-directed behavioural process of empowering people to confidently develop decision-making and planning over how and where to distribute available energy across daily activities. Currently, different conceptual traditions and definitions of pacing exist with important implications for the implementation and subsequent effectiveness of activity pacing. Application of activity pacing has mostly focused on symptom-reduction to improve self-regulatory behaviour, and less on physical activity stimulation for health and wellbeing. Further studies and greater connection between medical and sports science research are needed on how to adapt, tailor and optimise activity pacing to make it successful. The potential of activity pacing to increase physical activity and lessen fatigue could be a powerful tool to help fight the growing incidence of physical inactivity, particularly in persons with disabling conditions.

Medical and Musculoskeletal Concerns for the Wheelchair Athlete: A Review of Preventative Strategies.

Adaptive sports refers to organized sporting activities that are practiced by individuals with disabilities and are worthwhile to maintain physical and psychological health. As adaptive sports participation continues to rise, health care providers must have an enhanced understanding of injury and illness patterns specific to the adaptive athlete. Early recognition and prevention are important to ensure safe and successful participation in sport. The present review aims to provide a framework for diagnosis and prevention of common conditions specific to the wheelchair athlete. In particular, autonomic dysreflexia, impaired thermoregulation, urinary tract infection, and pressure injuries, as well as shoulder pain, upper-extremity entrapment neuropathies, and osteoporotic fractures will be discussed.

Increasing Wellness Through Physical Activity in Children With Chronic Disease and Disability.

Children with chronic medical conditions face many challenges when considering sport participation. Compared with their healthy counterparts, they are often discouraged from physical activity or sports participation because of real or perceived limitations imposed by their condition. Prescribed exercise should be based on the demands of the sport, the effect of the disease on performance, and the potential for exercise-induced acute or chronic worsening of the illness or disability. This article will focus on several examples of chronic medical conditions and the clinician's role in providing advice about sport participation.

[Difficulties in dental health care for the disabled]. / Difficultés de prise en charge de la santé bucco-dentaire des personnes en situation de handicap.

Upper Normandy has several disadvantages in terms of access to dental health care for disabled people: an insufficient medical population, a lack of dental schools and dental care networks.A cross-sectional epidemiological investigation, using a questionnaire form, was carried out between November 2014 and February 2015 with a cohort of dentists in this region.The topics on this form focused firstly on accessibility and compliance with standards of dental offices and the influencing factors which are hampering their accessibility implementation, and secondly on the oral care of disabled patients by practitioners of this region : the impact of incentives, influencing factors which are complicating the dental care and the usage of private and public structures.If the care of disability concerns most practitioners, an apprehension is observed in the adaptation of these doctors' treatment protocols for these specific patients. The expectations of dentists concerning disability are multiple : the creation of specific care networks, better coordination of medical and social actors, and specific training programs concerning the dental care of disabled patients.

[Groping in the dark: unheard pain 2]. / Tasten in het duister: niet gehoorde pijnklachten 2.

For a very severely mentally disabled, deaf and blind man, it was always very difficult to carry out dental check-ups, diagnosis and treatment, even with pharmacologic support. The man cannot communicate pain. When caries and calculus were diagnosed, the man was treated under general anaesthesia. During this treatment session he was also found to have severe periodontal disease and peri-apical problems. The legal representative of the patient was unavailable for consultation on changes to the pre-prepared preliminary treatment plan. This created a dilemma for the dental treatment team. This case study was presented during the conference 'State of the art' on March 17, 2017, that was organised by the Society for the Promotion of Dental Health Care for People with Disabilities (VBTGG). In this second part of the case, the treatment that was ultimately chosen is described, considered and discussed.

[Groping in the dark: pain that goes unheard 1]. / Tasten in het duister: niet gehoorde pijnklachten 1.

Even with pharmalogical support, it is always very difficult to carry out dental check-ups on a deaf-blind man with profound intellectual disabilities. The man cannot communicate pain. Further diagnostic measures and treatment are impossible while using only oral sedation. When caries and calculus are diagnosed, the man is treated under general anaesthesia. In this treatment session severe periodontal disease and peri-apical problems are also diagnosed. The legal representative of the patient is unavailable for consultation on changes to the pre-prepared preliminary treatment plan during the treatment session. This creates a dilemma for the dental treatment §team. This case study will be presented during the conference 'State of the art' on 17 March 2017, by the Society for the Promotion of Dental Health Care for People with Disabilities (VBTGG). This case can be read before the conference exclusively by the readers of the Dutch Journal of Dentistry (NTvT). The chosen treatment will be published in the edition of April 2017.

Dentist skill and setting to address dental treatment needs of care home residents in Wales.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between treatment plans, complexity anticipated in delivering those plans, and the special care dental skills and settings identified as appropriate. BACKGROUND: In older adults, many factors may complicate dental treatment including health and disability problems. Assessment of dental treatment needs amongst care home residents provides information about clinical care required and clinical experience needed for this population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Analysis of dental data collected in a 2010 Welsh survey. Data analysed included treatment plan information, complexity assessment and dental expertise and settings required to deliver the treatment plans. RESULTS: The majority of participating residents needed simple dentistry, that is examinations, oral hygiene instruction, scaling of teeth, fillings, new dentures and fluoride application. Additional time was the commonest complexity factor. A large proportion of participants required dental treatment within a domiciliary setting. A similar proportion required care within a primary care setting (typically with care from a general dental practitioner) or a special care clinic (typically with care from a dentist with special care experience). Treatment plans involving specialists were more likely to be associated with poor general health, higher levels of interventional treatment and greater complexity. CONCLUSION: Most treatment need in care homes is basic restorative, periodontal and preventive care. Half of this could be managed by general dentists, some on a domiciliary basis and the rest in primary care dental clinics. The commonest complexity was additional time. More complex treatments were associated with care in clinics, skills in special care dentistry and multidisciplinary care.

Effect of a dedicated oral care program on periodontal status of medically compromised patients at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Dental Clinic.

Medically compromised patients attending the dental clinic at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute have considerable gingival inflammation and breath odor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of toothbrushing on the periodontal status of these patients and to determine if there were any additional benefit in combining brushing with an application of an antibiotic rinse. During the first 7 days of the study, the teeth of 11 participants were brushed twice a day by a dental hygienist using a soft-bristle suction toothbrush without toothpaste. Soft interproximal brushes were used to clean interproximal surfaces from the facial aspect. During the second week, facial and interproximal cleaning were repeated in the same patients, but the toothbrush and interproximal brush were dipped in 10-mL of a solution consisting of water and 40 mg/mL of metronidazole with nystatin. Each patient underwent an oral examination and biofilm sampling at baseline, after brushing without toothpaste (week 1), and after brushing with antibiotic solution (week 2). After week 1, tissues improved substantially, and there was a notable change in the biofilm on the teeth. The addition of an antibiotic solution increased healing and resulted in a further decrease in oral biofilm. Medically compromised patients would benefit considerably from a treatment regimen of antibiotic solution to decrease oral infection followed by a daily oral care program of brushing and interdental cleaning to maintain healthy oral tissues.

Oral health status and physical, mental and cognitive disabilities among nursing home residents in Jordan.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to describe physical, mental and cognitive disabilities and periodontal status as indicated by periodontal health, edentulism and use of dentures among nursing home residents in Jordan. METHODS: A sample of 221 subjects with a mean age of 62.4 years (121 males and 100 females) from nursing home residents in Jordan were recruited to participate in this study. Oral health status, mini mental state examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Tinetti Assessment Battery for gait and balance (TAB) and disability of arm, shoulder and hand test (DASH) were assessed for all subjects. RESULTS: The response rate was about 88%. The multivariate analysis showed that the degree of upper limb disabilities, as measured by DASH, and reporting not brushing of teeth were the main risk indicators for severity of periodontal disease. Residents with dentures were found to have significantly higher cognitive abilities scores (MMSE), better upper arm abilities (DASH) and gait and balance score (TAB) in comparison with edentulous adults without dentures. Edentulous residents were found to suffer more from cognitive impairment (MMSE) than dentate residents. There was no predilection of upper limb (DASH) and lower limb (TAB) disabilities or depressive symptoms (GDS) for edentulous over dentate subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that nursing home residents with a variety of physical, cognitive and psychological disabilities are at increased risk of deterioration of their oral health. All those associated with the health of residents need to be aware of this issue and take preventive and therapeutic measures as needed.

A retrospective review of outcomes of dental treatment performed for special needs patients under general anaesthesia: 2-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the follow-up pattern of special needs patients (SNP) treated under general anaesthesia (GA) and the failure rates of different treatment procedures and restorative materials. STUDY DESIGN: The treatment records of the patients who received dental treatment under GA during 2005 to 2009 were reviewed. The duration of follow-up periods, the outcomes of different treatment procedures, and the quality of different restorative materials were recorded and evaluated. Statistics were used for the comparison (SPSS 20.0). Pearson's chi-square test and post hoc analysis were used to evaluate the attendance of postoperative appointments and the associations of failure rates of different treatment procedures and restorative materials. Cohen kappa statistics was used for intraexaminer reliability. RESULTS: A total of 177 patients were included in the study. The attendance of postoperative appointments showed a gradual decrease from 96% to 36% within 24 months (P < 0.05). Restorative procedures had the highest failure rates among all treatment procedures (P < 0.05). Stainless steel crowns showed higher survival rates among different restorative materials (P < 0.05). Pulp treatment in primary molars has higher success rate than primary incisors and canines. Composite restorations placed in primary canines have low survival rates. The intraexaminer reliability was good (k = 0.94). CONCLUSION: The attendance for postoperative follow-up appointments declined within two years. Restorative treatment was less successful when compared to preventive and pulp treatments. Stainless steel crowns were more reliable restorations with higher survival rates and composite restorations were less durable.

Changing demographics and providing dental services for Hispanic children.

General population demographics in the United States are undergoing dramatic changes. Long-term customary populations which provided the bulwark for many successful dental practices are being replaced by the many minority populations, in particular the Hispanic population. Despite these significant general population developments, the demographic profile of the dental profession has experienced (and apparently--based on dental student populations--will continue to experience) limited changes. The economic strength of the profession may well be predicated upon its responses to these developments.

Advancing dental care access for patients with disabilities: A global scoping review of predoctoral training.

OBJECTIVE: To examine predoctoral training programs that address the unique needs of patients with special healthcare needs (SHCN) and provide an overview of current global training initiatives, while exploring innovative approaches to enhance dental students' preparation in managing SHCN patients. METHODS: A scoping review (SR) was conducted focusing on three key concepts: dental education, pre-doctoral training, and intellectual disability/developmental disability. The search encompassed five databases including Medline, Embase, Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source (EBSCO), Global Health (EBSCO), and WHO Global Index Medicus, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. EndNote and Covidence were utilized to prevent duplication and facilitate title/abstract screening. RESULTS: After screening abstracts, a total of 2309 articles were initially identified with 28 articles meeting eligibility criteria for data extraction relevant to the research question. Two major categories characterized the key findings included in the review: 12 interventional studies and 16 perception-based studies. CONCLUSION: This SR revealed that dental students are not adequately trained to treat special needs populations; consequentially, dental students lack confidence in providing high-quality care to this demographic. The absence of standardized training poses a global challenge, exacerbating care disparities. Addressing this issue is crucial to better prepare dental students and advance equitable access and quality care for underserved populations.

Creating an anti-ableist learning environment: Development of a novel disability-related microaggressions session for medical and dental students and mixed methods analysis of impact on learning and empowerment.

BACKGROUND: Disability-related microaggressions are unique among microaggressions in the assumptions they reflect and the verbal and non-verbal forms they take. They impact patients and providers alike. Yet, medical and dental students are not routinely educated about disability-related microaggressions. A medical school student-faculty team harnessed Kern's six-step curriculum design process to co-produce a novel 90-min educational intervention centered on recognizing and responding to disability-related microaggressions. The session was piloted in February 2022 as a required element of the school's mandatory professional development training for first-year medical and dental students. OBJECTIVE: This mixed-methods study examined session impact on student-reported learning pertinent to addressing and mitigating disability-related microaggressions. METHODS: Voluntary surveys were distributed to all first-year students to capture pre-/post-session self-assessment of knowledge, skills, and comfort, as well as post-session reflection on lessons learned. Quantitative data was analyzed using summary statistics, unpaired t-tests, and Mann Whitney U tests; qualitative data was analyzed using a hybrid inductive-deductive approach. RESULTS: Survey response rate was 61 % (100/164) pre-session and 25 % (41/164) post-session. Post-session, there was significantly increased student agreement with statements addressing microaggressions knowledge, comfort teaching others, and strategies to support disability-sensitive workplaces. Post-session narrative reflections revealed learning within five themes: nature of microaggressions, identifying microaggressions, preventing microaggressions, responding to microaggressions, and medical student empowerment. Ninety-three percent of post-session respondents (38/41) agreed the session empowered them to actively contribute to anti-ableist learning environments. CONCLUSIONS: The pilot educational intervention provides a promising strategy to foster anti-ableism and advocacy among first-year medical/dental students. While limited by low response rate, small sample size, participant self-selection for survey participation, and unlinked individual pre- and post-session responses, mixed methods analysis suggests the session had a positive impact on student action-oriented knowledge and empowerment.

Territorial Disparities in Dental Care for Disabled Persons and Oral Health-Related Indicators: A Population-Level Approach in Brazil's Public Healthcare System from 2014 to 2023.

This study evaluated territorial disparities in dental care for disabled persons in Brazil's public healthcare system from 2014 to 2023. The person-year incidence of outpatient dental procedures carried out by special care dentistry specialists and hospitalizations for dental procedures for disabled persons were compared across different regions and against the national estimate. In addition, productivity was correlated with oral health-related indicators. The significance level was set at 5%. The northern region exhibited the highest outpatient productivity, while the southern region showed lower productivity compared to the national estimate (both p-value < 0.05). This pattern was reversed in inpatient productivity (both p-value < 0.05), with the northeastern and central-western regions also below average (both p-value < 0.05). There were no significant correlations between the indicators and inpatient productivity, but outpatient productivity was positively correlated with the proportions of inhabitants who self-rated their general and oral health as "poor" or "very poor", who have never visited a dentist, and who visited a dentist for tooth extraction (all p-values < 0.05). Territorial disparities in dental care for disabled persons were observed within Brazil's public healthcare system, and they were correlated with unfavorable oral health-related indicators at the population level.