Access to primary dental care for cleft lip and palate patients in South Wales.

AIM: To determine the provision of NHS primary dental care for children with cleft lip and/or palate in South Wales and the ease of accessing this dental care. METHOD: A postal questionnaire was sent to all cleft lip and/or palate patients under the age of 18 (n = 750) in South Wales. The questionnaire identified patients' medical history, episodes of dental emergency, distance from home to dental surgery and ease of accessing primary dental care. To increase the response rate a second questionnaire was posted to non-responders. RESULTS: The response rate was 49% (368/750). The majority of patients (92%, n = 340) attended a dentist. Over 17% (n = 61) had suffered an episode of dental emergency. About 63% (n = 240) lived within 5 miles of their primary dental care provider, and 13% (n = 66) lived more than 10 miles away. Other medical problems were found in over 30% (n = 111) of the sample. Parents of 39% (n = 107) found it difficult or impossible to access a local NHS dentist. CONCLUSION: Many children with cleft lip and/or palate find it difficult or impossible to access NHS primary dental care. Shortcomings in the services provided to this high risk group have been highlighted. Further research is needed at national levels to evaluate the extent of the shortcomings and propose methods to overcome them.

An unusual distribution of supplemental teeth in the primary dentition.

Supernumerary teeth are more common in the permanent than the primary dentition. In the latter, the majority occur in the maxillary lateral incisor region or as a mesiodens. Indeed, in one study conducted in the USA, all 26 cases of primary supernumerary teeth examined were found to be lateral incisors. This report describes a case presenting with three erupted supernumerary (supplemental) teeth in the primary dentition, including, somewhat unusually, bilateral duplication of maxillary canines.

Increased primary tooth size in a 47,XXY male: a first case report.

Increased tooth size has previously been reported in association with Klinefelter syndrome. However, until now, this observation has been restricted to the permanent dentition. In this paper, we report increased mesio-distal width in the primary incisor and molar teeth of a 47,XXY male.

Oral and dental care in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: a survey of united kingdom children's cancer study group centres.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the provision of oral and dental care for children receiving treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG) centres. SAMPLE AND METHODS: A postal questionnaire was sent to a named consultant at each centre. All 22 centres responded. RESULTS: The majority of centres carry out an oral assessment at the time of diagnosis, although various health care professionals are responsible for this. A dentist routinely attends out-patient clinics in only a minority of centres, although the majority have facilities for the provision of dental treatment 'on site'. In the main, children requiring dental treatment are referred to the Hospital Dental Service. Almost a quarter of centres do not have an oral care protocol. CONCLUSIONS: The development of appropriate dental services at tertiary referral centres should be vigorously pursued.

Dental care in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: experiences of children and attitudes of parents.

OBJECTIVES: To profile the dental experiences of a group of children diagnosed as suffering from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) and to examine: 1) how parents of children diagnosed as suffering from ALL perceive the importance of dental care; 2) parental preferences with regard to the provision of dental care for children with ALL. SETTING: The study was conducted in one of the 22 United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG) centres. SAMPLE AND METHODS: Data were collected by means of a structured interview, employing an administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The majority of children had attended a dentist both prior to, and following diagnosis, though the regularity of such attendance was variable and the receipt of dental preventive advice inconsistent. Parents appeared to place a high level of importance on their children's dental care, with more than two-thirds expressing a preference for this to be provided within the Paediatric Oncology Unit. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to establish means by which regular dental attendance may be encouraged and facilitated in the difficult circumstances posed following diagnosis. All healthcare professionals need to be equipped to give clear, consistent oral health advice. This, together with appropriate preventive measures, should be incorporated in oral care protocols. In accordance with the wishes of parents in this study, it is recommended that a comprehensive paediatric dental service be provided at all UKCCSG centres.