Improving and Maintaining Oral Health for People with Special Needs

The number of people in the United States population with disabilities and other special needs is growing dramatically. These individuals present unique challenges for oral health professionals in planning and carrying out dental treatment and for the oral health delivery system. Because it has been recognized that the current delivery system is not working well for these populations, new workforce, financing, and delivery models are beginning to emerge that may hold promise for creating and maintaining oral health for currently underserved populations, including people with disabilities and other special needs. This article discusses the implications of this for the oral health profession, describes the challenges of providing oral health services for this population, and discusses the implications of these challenges for the organization of the oral health delivery system.