Improving Oral Health Care for Patients With Special Needs, 3rd edition

Course overview

Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of people with special healthcare needs, and the trend is expected to continue. Population shifts as a result of immigration and other socio-economic factors will persist in straining the current delivery system. The special needs population already faces barriers in obtaining oral health services, and this situation will continue to deteriorate under the present system of care. As policy makers wrestle with major health disparities experienced by people with special health-care needs, dental professionals must be at the forefront of ensuring adequate delivery of oral healthcare services to this population. This basic-level course addresses current thinking about the challenges of providing oral healthcare services for people with special needs, and it presents strategies for all dental professionals to improve the provision of care to this population.