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Where can people with special needs get dental treatment?
In the UK
If you have special needs (this may include medical problems and disabilities, but also conditions such as agoraphobia if you are house-bound, and in many areas also includes extreme dental phobia), the Community Dental Service (CDS) is the place to contact. Available services do vary from area to area. Also, in some areas you may contact the CDS directly, whereas in other areas, you will need a referral from your GP or another dentist. Contact your local PCT or NHS trust for more information on what is available in your area. If they are not helpful enough, you could also try PALS (Patient Advice Liaison Service) or your local Citizen's Advice Bureau.
The CDS is an NHS rather than a private service. Unlike "ordinary" NHS dentists, the dentists who work for the CDS are paid a fixed salary, and the treatment you get in terms of materials etc. may be better than what is normally available on the NHS. Dentists who cater to special needs patients can usually provide sedation, which is rare these days on the NHS. Where absolutely necessary, they can also provide treatment under general anaesthetic.
In some areas, Dental Access Centers have taken on the role of the Community Dental Services. Again, the places listed above should be able to steer you into the right direction.
The British Dental Health Foundation has a leaflet called "Dental Care for People with Special Needs", which you can view online here.
In the US
The American Dental Association's Council on Access, Prevention and Interprofessional Relations suggests the following tips:
- Inform the dentist about your special health or financial conditions.
- Ask if the dentist has training and/or experience in treating patients with your specific condition.
- Ask if the dentist has an interest in treating patients with your specific condition.
- Find out if the dentist participates in your dental benefit plan (dental insurance program.)
- Ask if the dental facility is accessible to the disabled.
In addition, the Council suggests that patients with special needs
- Call or write to the dental director at your state department of public health.
- Contact the nearest dental school clinic or hospital dental department, especially if it is affiliated with a major university.
- Contact the Special Care Dentistry Association, the Academy of General Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry for a referral.
- Also, the National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse may have useful information.
- Contact the National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped (NFDH), a charitable affiliate of the American Dental Association since 1988. The NFDH, via several programs, facilitates the provision of comprehensive dental care for needy disabled, elderly, and medically compromised individuals.
- Dentists and dental institutions organizing or participating in voluntary projects that care for uninsured and underserved patients will find information, and grant opportunities through Volunteers in Health Care (VIH). VIH Program staff are available to assist you at the toll-free number 1-877-844-8442.
(Source: ADA.org - You & Your Dentist Frequently Asked Questions)