IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i4p1556-d494757.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Access to Dental Care—A Survey from Dentists, People with Disabilities and Caregivers

Author

Listed:
  • Gianmaria D’Addazio

    (Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy)

  • Manlio Santilli

    (Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy)

  • Bruna Sinjari

    (Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy)

  • Edit Xhajanka

    (Department of Dental Medicine, Medical University of Tirana, Rruga e Dibrës, 1001 Tirana, Albania)

  • Imena Rexhepi

    (Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy)

  • Rocco Mangifesta

    (Occupational Allergy, Nanomaterials and Fibers Biosafety and Immunotoxicology Group, CAST, University “G d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy)

  • Sergio Caputi

    (Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy)

Abstract

The literature highlights differences in the dental conditions of people with disabilities compared with the general population. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the dental health of people with disabilities in order to understand if their needs are met and to identify their most critical issues as per dentists. A paper and a Google Form platform were used in conducting a survey in Central Italy (the Abruzzo region), by performing an analysis on different points of view as reported by people with disabilities and dentists. The results showed that only 69.2% of dentists treat persons with disabilities. Of these, 73.5% treat less than 10 patients with physical disabilities per year. However, 54% of dentists do not treat people with cognitive impairment and a poor ability to collaborate during treatment. More than 80% of respondent dentists report that people with disabilities do not have good oral hygiene. On the other hand, 49.1% of people with disabilities (or their caregivers in cases where the patient was unable to answer) report that they rarely or never go to the dental office. Moreover, when they do go, it is mainly for emergencies. Despite this, respondents are well aware of their dental problems. However, they have difficulties in communicating their dental problems to their dentist. The 50% of dentists who treat people with cognitive impairment do not include them in follow-up, while only 20% of these patients reported being regularly recalled. This illustrates the importance of the implementation of follow-up. In addition, training courses could help clinicians to reduce this gap and create barrier-free dental offices.

Suggested Citation

  • Gianmaria D’Addazio & Manlio Santilli & Bruna Sinjari & Edit Xhajanka & Imena Rexhepi & Rocco Mangifesta & Sergio Caputi, 2021. "Access to Dental Care—A Survey from Dentists, People with Disabilities and Caregivers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-13, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:4:p:1556-:d:494757
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/1556/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/1556/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Caroline Gondlach & Céline Catteau & Martine Hennequin & Denise Faulks, 2019. "Evaluation of a Care Coordination Initiative in Improving Access to Dental Care for Persons with Disability," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-9, August.
    2. Bruna Sinjari & Imena Rexhepi & Manlio Santilli & Gianmaria D′Addazio & Piero Chiacchiaretta & Piero Di Carlo & Sergio Caputi, 2020. "The Impact of COVID-19 Related Lockdown on Dental Practice in Central Italy—Outcomes of A Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-14, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Stefano Cianetti & Chiara Valenti & Massimiliano Orso & Giuseppe Lomurno & Michele Nardone & Anna Palma Lomurno & Stefano Pagano & Guido Lombardo, 2021. "Systematic Review of the Literature on Dental Caries and Periodontal Disease in Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Individuals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-22, November.
    2. Ina Nitschke & Siri Nitschke & Cornelius Haffner & Bernhard A. J. Sobotta & Julia Jockusch, 2022. "On the Necessity of a Geriatric Oral Health Care Transition Model: Towards an Inclusive and Resource-Oriented Transition Process," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-19, May.
    3. Natalia S. Rozas & Hillary D. Strassner & June M. Sadowsky & Cameron B. Jeter, 2022. "Barriers and Motivations to Provide Dental Care to Adult Patients with Movement Disorders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-10, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Imena Rexhepi & Rocco Mangifesta & Manlio Santilli & Silvia Guri & Piero Di Carlo & Gianmaria D’Addazio & Sergio Caputi & Bruna Sinjari, 2021. "Effects of Natural Ventilation and Saliva Standard Ejectors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Quantitative Analysis of Aerosol Produced during Dental Procedures," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-9, July.
    2. Angeliki Karveli & Ioannis G. Tzoutzas & Panagiotis Ioannis Raptis & Emmanouil-George C. Tzanakakis & Eleftherios Terry R. Farmakis & Constantinos G. Helmis, 2021. "Air Quality in a Dental Clinic during Er:YAG Laser Usage for Cavity Preparation on Human Teeth—An Ex-Vivo Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-13, October.
    3. Saba Wajeeh & Abhishek Lal & Naseer Ahmed & Md. Ibrahim Khalil & Afsheen Maqsood & Akram Mojidea M Alshammari & Abdulelah Zaid Alshammari & Meshari Musallam Mohammed Alsharari & Abdulelah Hamdan Alrus, 2021. "Operational Implications and Risk Assessment of COVID-19 in Dental Practices," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-13, November.
    4. Andreea Kui & Codruța Popescu & Anca Labuneț & Oana Almășan & Adrian Petruțiu & Mariana Păcurar & Smaranda Buduru, 2022. "Is Teledentistry a Method for Optimizing Dental Practice, Even in the Post-Pandemic Period? An Integrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-13, June.
    5. Nada Faleh Almutairi & Amani Abdullah Almaymuni & Julie Toby Thomas & Toby Thomas & Abdullah Almalki & Roshan Uthappa, 2021. "Comprehensive Knowledge and Preparedness among Dental Community to Confront COVID-19—A Multicentric Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Kenneth S. Serota & Bálint Andó & Katalin Nagy & Ildikó Kovács, 2021. "Revealing Distress and Perceived Stress among Dentists at the Outset of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Factor Analytic Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-12, November.
    7. Yusuke Takanabe & Yutaka Maruoka & Junko Kondo & Shotaro Yagi & Daichi Chikazu & Ryuta Okamoto & Masao Saitoh, 2021. "Dispersion of Aerosols Generated during Dental Therapy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-10, October.
    8. Marie-Laure Munoz-Sanchez & Natacha Linas & Nicolas Decerle & Valérie Collado & Denise Faulks & Emmanuel Nicolas & Martine Hennequin & Pierre-Yves Cousson, 2021. "Radiological Evaluation of Stainless Steel Crowns Placed on Permanent Teeth in Patients Treated under General Anaesthesia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-12, March.
    9. Anna Turska-Szybka & Maria Prokopczyk & Piotr Winkielman & Dorota Olczak-Kowalczyk, 2021. "Knowledge and Attitude of Polish Dental Healthcare Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-17, November.
    10. Jan Schmidt & Eliska Waldova & Stepanka Balkova & Jakub Suchanek & Roman Smucler, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 on Czech Dentistry: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Preliminary Study among Dentists in the Czech Republic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-14, August.
    11. Thomas Gerhard Wolf & Leonardo de Col & Seyed Ahmad Banihashem Rad & Paolo Castiglia & Antonella Arghittu & Mina Cannavale & Guglielmo Campus, 2022. "How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affects Risk Awareness in Dentists: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-14, April.
    12. Rebecca Malsam & Albert Nienhaus, 2021. "Occupational Infections among Dental Health Workers in Germany—14-Year Time Trends," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-17, September.
    13. Andrej Thurzo & Wanda Urbanová & Iveta Waczulíková & Veronika Kurilová & Bela Mriňáková & Helena Kosnáčová & Branislav Gális & Ivan Varga & Marek Matajs & Bohuslav Novák, 2022. "Dental Care and Education Facing Highly Transmissible SARS-CoV-2 Variants: Prospective Biosafety Setting: Prospective, Single-Arm, Single-Center Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-25, June.
    14. Thomas Gerhard Wolf & James Deschner & Harald Schrader & Peter Bührens & Gudrun Kaps-Richter & Maria Grazia Cagetti & Guglielmo Campus, 2021. "Dental Workload Reduction during First SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Lockdown in Germany: A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-10, March.
    15. Bartosz Dalewski & Lukasz Palka & Paweł Kiczmer & Ewa Sobolewska, 2021. "The Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak on the Polish Dental Community’s Standards of Care—A Six-Month Retrospective Survey-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-14, January.
    16. Stephan Zellmer & Ella Bachmann & Anna Muzalyova & Alanna Ebigbo & Maria Kahn & Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann & Roland Frankenberger & Fabian M. Eckstein & Thomas Ziebart & Axel Meisgeier & Helmut Messmann , 2021. "One Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Dental Medical Facilities in Germany: A Questionnaire-Based Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-11, December.
    17. Rafael R Moraes & Marcos B Correa & Ana B Queiroz & Ândrea Daneris & João P Lopes & Tatiana Pereira-Cenci & Otávio P D’Avila & Maximiliano S Cenci & Giana S Lima & Flávio F Demarco, 2020. "COVID-19 challenges to dentistry in the new pandemic epicenter: Brazil," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-15, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:4:p:1556-:d:494757. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.