DR SHARON LIBERALI Director, Special Needs Unit, Adelaide Dental Hospital, South Australian Dental Service
The South Australian Dental Service Special Needs Dentistry Network What is Special Needs Dentistry? The Dental Board of Australia defines Special Needs Dentistry (SND) as: ‘The branch of dentistry that is concerned with the oral health care of people with an intellectual disability, medical, physical or psychiatric conditions that require special methods or techniques to prevent or treat oral health problems or where such conditions necessitate special dental treatment plans.’ It has a diverse patient profile, and includes people with special needs who are in tertiary medical centres/hospitals, long-stay residential care, living at home, or in secure units, as well as people experiencing homelessness. Some patients with special needs may have multiple impairments and/or medical conditions, which often increase with age. Special Needs Dentistry has a broad-based philosophy which takes a holistic view of oral health and requires specialists to liaise and work with all members of an individual’s care team, including family members.
Why do we need Special Need Dentistry? The spectrum of disability, medical complexity and/or social issues for people with special needs may cause difficulties in accessing mainstream dental services. The National Oral Health Plan 2015–2024 identifies people with additional and/or specialist 12
The Health Advocate • MAY 2020
health care needs as having a higher incidence of poor oral health, and states that: ‘A lack of dentists with adequate skills in Special Needs Dentistry was the most frequently reported problem for carers from family homes and community houses, followed by a lack of dentists willing to treat people with disabilities, resulting in long waiting lists.’ The following factors continue to drive the increasing need for Special Needs Dentistry: • an ageing population • better survival of children with complex/ multiple disabilities, requiring transition of care from paediatric dentists to appropriately trained dentists/specialists • complexity of medical care provided • increased life expectancy for people with disabilities and chronic disease • disability or progressive chronic disease extending into middle and older age • population expectations of retaining natural teeth • survival from cancer, with oral morbidity • extent of oral disease experience, particularly among socially disadvantaged groups.
Why was the Special Needs Dentistry Network established in South Australia? As Special Needs Dentistry is a relatively new specialty, there are very few registered specialists in Australia. At the time of development of the
