Disability and Oral Health

Abstract

1. Introduction This chapter will address the oral health need s of people with learning disabilities and access to oral healthcare, drawing on policy, re search and action in the UK. It will provide insight to the principles and practice of dental care including the creation a new dental specialty, ‘Special Care Dentistry’. This dental specialty was developed to provide oral health care for vulnerable people including th ose with a learning disability; it provides a case study of a public health approach to de veloping specialist services. The case study highlights how the process has significantly improv ed the profile of the oral health needs of vulnerable adults in general, including people with a learning disability. The importance of promoting health using the common risk factor approach and empowering people with a disability to make healthy choices is stressed , drawing on the curren t evidence base. The chapter concludes with the challenges for th e future which will be pertinent to those involved in the care of people with a disability worldwide.