Review Article

Year : 2016 | Volume : 1 | Issue : 1 | Page : 42-44

Break the Barrier: Bringing Children with Special Health Care Needs into Mainstream Dentistry

Dhanalakshmi Ravikumar, S. Sujatha

Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Address for correspondence:

Dr. Dhanalakshmi Ravikumar,

Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, 162 Poonnamalle High Road, Chennai ‐ 600 095, Tamil Nadu, India.

E‐Mail: dhana9677@gmail.com

Abstract

Dental treatment is the most common unmet need for children with special health care needs, as they present with a complex assay of developmental delays and unusual issues, all of which can complicate routine dental examination and treatment. It is a greater challenge for the dentist to treat children with special health care needs (SHCNs) and special arrangements to provide dental care for these patients. This review paper highlights about different barriers encountered by the children with SHCNs, their parents, and the dentist and possible ways of breaking the barriers.

Key words: Barriers, dental treatment, special health care needs

How to cite this article: Ravikumar D, Sujatha S. Break the barrier: Bringing children with special health care needs into mainstream dentistry. Int J Pedod Rehabil 2016;1:42-4.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

How to cite this article: Ravikumar D, Sujatha S. Break the barrier: Bringing children with special health care needs into mainstream dentistry. Int J Pedod Rehabil 2016;1:42-4.