Oral health needs of U.S. children with developmental disorders: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) have higher rates of oral diseases and tooth decay compared with the general population. Children with developmental disorders/ disabilities (DD) are a subset of CSHCN whose oral health has not been specifically addressed. Therefore, this study had two objectives: to describe the oral health needs (OHN) of children with DD compared with children without DD; and to assess barriers to access to care, utilization of dental services, and their association with oral health needs for children with DD. METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized a sample of 30,530 noninstitutionalized children from the 2018 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). Analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: The analysis identified 6501 children with DD and 24,029 children without DD. Children with DD had significantly higher prevalence of OHN (20.3% vs. 12.2%, respectively), unmet dental needs (3.5% vs 1.2%), and utilization of any dental visits (86.1% vs 76.1%), (P-value < . 001). The adjusted logistic model identified four factors that contributed to the higher odds of OHN among children with DD: poverty (< 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (AOR = 2.27, CI: 1.46-3.51), being uninsured (AOR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.14-3.95), a high level of disability (AOR = 1.89, CI: 1.23-2.78), and living in the western United States (AOR = 1.61, CI: 1.09-2.37. CONCLUSION: Despite higher utilization of dental services, children with DD had poorer oral health and more unmet dental needs than children without DD. Advocacy efforts and policy changes are needed to develop affordable access that assesses, as early as possible, children with DD whose conditions impact their ability a great deal so that their potential OHN may be alleviated more effectively.

Oral health resources for cancer patients in Texas.

Over 1.4 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year, and many of these patients will, by necessity, be treated in private practice, including dental practice. Dental professionals play a key role in helping patients understand that good oral care can prevent or reduce oral complications. Treatment of oral cancers and other malignancies cause oral sequelae that can compromise patients' quality of life and dictate reduction or discontinuation of optimal therapeutic regimens, which in turn reduces the odds of long-term survival. This can be prevented or better managed if dental and medical health care providers work together. The purpose of this article is to identify the cancer centers associated with dental clinics and the dental practitioners in the state of Texas, including maxillofacial prosthodontists, with training and/or a special interest in providing oral care to cancer patients. To be included on the list, which will be available on the Dental Oncology Education Program (DOEP) Web site (doep.org), please contact Grady Basler at the DOEP office (grady@doep.org), or the Department of Public Health Sciences (214-828-8350).