Special needs dentistry

Special needs dentistry, also known as special care dentistry, is a dental specialty that deals with the oral health problems of geriatric patients, patients with intellectual disabilities, and patients with other medical, physical, or psychiatric issues.^[1]

Special needs dentists typically have additional postgraduate training after attaining their dental degree. These requirements are dependent on the dentist's country or other jurisdiction. Some countries offer Board Certification in special needs dentistry, such as the American Board of Special Care Dentistry^[2] (Diplomate) or the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (FRACDS (SND), Fellowship).

Oral health therapists have incorporated studies to allow for their scope of practice to cover working with people with special needs. They may accompany a dentist within clinic or domiciliary environments to aid in education, disease control and maintenance of patients with special needs.

Patients who require special needs dentistry may live at home, in hospital, in secure units, in residential or nursing homes, or they may be homeless or vulnerably housed. Their additional needs may be due directly to their impairment or disability, or to some aspect of their medical history that affects their oral health, or because their social, environmental or cultural context disables them with reference to their oral health.^[3]