Journal of Disability and Oral Health

cover art

Cover Date:
December 2014
Print ISSN:
1470-8558
Vol:
15
Issue:
4

Irish dental practitioners perceived barriers to the care of patients with special healthcare needs and the effect of postgraduate training

Irish dental practitioners perceived barriers to the care of patients with special healthcare needs and the effect of postgraduate training
KO Jimoh and MJ Kinirons

Abstract
Inequalities in oral health care service provision to people with special health needs have been reported in the Republic of Ireland. These include higher unmet dental treatment needs and longer waiting period to access routine dental treatment than the general population. Aim: The aims of this study were to determine the groups of patients with special needs which pose a challenge to manage in the dental surgery and to examine perceived barriers to the care of these patients. We aimed to determine whether postgraduate training in the management of these patients increases the practitioners’ frequency of treatment provision. We also aimed to examine the relationship between the practitioners’ frequency of treatment and their desire for further training in this area. Methods: A questionnaire was used to survey 326 randomly selected dentists from the Dental Council’s register of dentists. Questionnaire and information sheets explaining the purpose of the survey, confidentiality and anonymity of the responses were posted to the dentists. Results: The results showed that children with intellectual disability posed the biggest challenge for dentists to manage in the dental surgery. Behaviour management issues and the degree of disability were perceived by many dentists as factors that would have high effects on their willingness to treat patients with special needs. Dentists who have postgraduate training in the management of patients with special needs were significantly more willing to treat these patients and to seek additional training in the future. Conclusion: There are links between the training and the willingness of practitioners to undertake dental treatment for patients with special healthcare needs.

Key words: Special Care Dentistry, Ireland

Doi: 10.4483/JDOH_Jimoh05

Article Price
£15.00
Institution Article Price
£0.00
Page Start
142
Page End
147
Authors
KO Jimoh, M J Kinirons

Articles from this issue

  • Title
  • Pg. Start
  • Pg. End

  1. Editorial
  2. 130
  3. 130

  1. Oral health and dental care among children and adolescents with ADHD - A retrospective and exploratory study
  2. 133
  3. 141

  1. Irish dental practitioners perceived barriers to the care of patients with special healthcare needs and the effect of postgraduate training
  2. 142
  3. 147

  1. Dental management of patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia
  2. 148
  3. 153

  1. The use of personalised multi-sensory sensitive story to prepare a young man with profound intellectual disabilities and autism for oral health care: a case study
  2. 154
  3. 158

  1. Continuing Professional Development Programme
  2. 159
  3. 160

  1. Diary dates 2015
  2. 163
  3. 163

  1. Errata and addenda
  2. 164
  3. 164

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