Special Health Care Needs
Seayoon An, DMD (she/her/hers)
Pediatric Dental Resident
Boston University
Boston University
Medford, Massachusetts, United States
Christine Chiao, MPH, DMD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Boston University Henry Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Keri Discepolo, DDS, MPH
Post Graduate Program Director of Pediatric Dentistry
Boston University Henry Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Abidin Hakan Tuncer, DMD, MPH, FSCD
Children's Hospital Colorado
Keri Discepolo, DDS, MPH
Post Graduate Program Director of Pediatric Dentistry
Boston University Henry Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Christine Chiao, MPH, DMD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Boston University Henry Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
An S, Chiao C, Tuncer H, Discepolo, K
Boston University, Boston, MA
Purpose: The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends children to have their first dental visit when the first tooth erupts and no later than their first birthday. The aim of the study is to compare age of first dental visit between children with special health care needs and those without special health care needs. Differences by other factors will also be evaluated, such as the reasons for the first dental visits, the source of referral, if pediatricians provided the referral to a dental office and at what age it was given, barriers to access to oral health care, and possible solutions for better access to dental care.
Methods: The study is a cross-sectional survey, which includes children with and without special health care needs and are 21 years and under seen at the Franciscan Children’s pediatric dental clinic between April 2022 to March 2023. The survey includes 21 questions and is conducted among English speaking parents/guardians.
Results: Despite a similar average age of first dental visit (most indicated a first dental visit between ages 1 and 3), those with special health care needs were significantly more likely to report difficulty in accessing care (P < .05).
Conclusion: Children with special health care needs face barriers in accessing dental care. They should be encouraged to utilize community-based resources when appropriate.