Special Care Dentistry: a professional challenge

Abstract

As a profession we have a responsibility to ensure that the oral health needs of individuals and groups who have a physical, sensory, intellectual, medical, emotional or social impairment or disability are met. In the UK, over 200,000 adults have profound learning disabilities and/or complex medical conditions. Adults with a disability often have poorer oral health, poorer health outcomes and poorer access to services than the rest of the population. This paper examines the need for Special Care Dentistry based on a review of published literature, surveys and health policy, and suggests how services might be delivered in the future. Existing models of good practice reveal that established clinicians working in this field have a patient base of between 850 and 1,500 patients per year and work across primary care and hospital settings, liaising with colleagues in health, social services and the voluntary sector to ensure integrated health care planning. On this basis, a conservative estimate of 133 specialists is suggested for the future, working in networks with Dentists with Special Interests (DwSIs) and primary dental care practitioners. A skilled workforce that can address the wider needs of people requiring Special Care Dentistry should be formally recognised and developed within the UK to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable sections of the community are addressed in future.