Better Oral Health
for Kids with Special Needs
Webinar
June 5, 2015
Jay Balzer, DMD, MPH
Consultant, ASTDD
General Reminders
• All attendees have been muted.
• Questions will be addressed after the
speaker is finished. To ask a question, click
on the icon at the top of your screen that
looks like a silhouette and “raise your hand.”
The host will recognize and unmute
individuals with questions one at a time so
questions can be asked verbally.
• Please respond to the polling questions at
the conclusion of the webinar.
Better Oral Health
for Kids with Special Needs
Webinar
June 5, 2015
Jay Balzer, DMD, MPH
Consultant, ASTDD
Today’s Topics
Who are kids with special needs?
Eleven online resources
Preventing oral disease
Locating the right dental office
Talking to the dentist
Maintaining oral health
Who Are Head Start Kids with Disabilities?
Office of Head Start definition: Children with an IFSP or IEP
IFSP = Individual Family Service Plan
IFSP focuses on the child and family
and the services that a family needs
to help them enhance the development of their child.
IEP = Individual Education Plan
IEP focuses on the educational needs of the child.
Some Oral Health Concerns
of Kids with Disabilities
Child with poor motor control—unable to hold toothbrush
Child with cognitive/motor disability—swallows toothpaste
Child is orally “defensive”—won’t allow toothbrush in mouth
Child takes meds that are sweetened—promotes decay
Child takes meds that reduce saliva—promotes decay
Examples of Kids with “Special Needs”
 Kids with physical but no intellectual disability—wheelchair
 Kids with intellectual but no physical disability—autism
 Kids with intellectual and physical disability—developmental
 Kids with complex medical condition—hemophilia
 Kids with learning disability—can’t pay attention due to toothache
 Kids with no disability but high need for services—asthma
 Kids with exceptional fear of the dentist—uncooperative
 Kids with dental disability—advanced decay, constant pain
Oral Health Resources
for Kids with Special Needs
Resource #1
Head Start
National Center on Health
Oral Health Home Page
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/oral-health
Resource #2
Brush Up on Oral Health Newsletters
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/
oral-health/policies-procedures/buoh.html
Resource #3
National Maternal and Child
Oral Health Resource Center
http://www.mchoralhealth.org/Topics/cshcn.html
Resource #4
American Academy of Pediatrics
Children’s Oral Health
http://www2.aap.org/commpeds/dochs/oralhealth/index.html
Resource #5
Association of State and Territorial
Dental Directors
Children with Special Health Care Needs
http://www.astdd.org/children-with-special-health-care-needs
Resource #6
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
http://www.aapd.org
Resource #7
Special Care Dentistry Association
http://www.scdaonline.org
Resource #8
Family Voices
Family to Family Networking
State Contacts
http://www.familyvoices.org/states
Oral Health
http://www.familyvoices.org/work/oral
Resource #9
Children’s Hospitals
https://www.childrenshospitals.org/Directories/Hospital-Directory
Resource #10
Special Olympics—Special Smiles
http://resources.specialolympics.org/Topics/
Healthy_Athletes/Disciplines/Special_Smiles.aspx
Resource #11
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial
Research (NIDCR)
Children’s Oral Health
http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/OralHealthInformation/ChildrensOralHealth/
Special Needs
Practical Oral Care for People with Developmental Disabilities
http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/OralHealthInformation/SpecialNeeds/
Preventing Oral Disease
Many Opportunities
Healthy water: community water fluoridation
Healthy home: safe diet and oral care
Healthy Head Start: healthy habits and healthy food
Curriculum and program-based services in Head Start
Healthy teeth: prompt referral to treatment
Locating the Right Dental Office for Kids with
Special Needs
The right office
The wrong office
No office at all
The Right Office
Physically accessible and friendly
Inquires about the child’s condition
Inquires about prior dental experience
Explains treatment plan and alternatives
Adult allowed in treatment room
Interpretation services for families
The Wrong Office
Accessibility barriers
Does not engage parent in discussion
Does not go slow with fearful child
Does not allow parent in treatment room
Does not explain treatment options
If unable to treat, does not refer
How to Find
the Right Dental Office
Ask your family dentist
Ask other community dentists
Ask parents who have had success
Use online and other directories
Some Online Dentist Directories
 Insure Kids Now (search widget)—dentists who accept Medicaid
 http://www.insurekidsnow.gov
 American Academy of Pediatric Dentists—dentists who treat kids
 http://www.aapd.org
 Special Care Dentistry Assoc—dentists who welcome special patients
 http://www.scdaonline.org/?Referral
 Your state dental association directory—example from Colorado
 https://www.cdaonline.org/find-a-dentist/directorysearch
 Special Needs Dentist Directory—example from Virginia
 http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/OFHS/childandfamily/dental/dentaldirectory/Home.aspx
Talking to the Dentist
Be Informed
Some AAPD policies and guidelines
that are pertinent to kids with special needs:
AAPD Policies and Guidelines: Homepage
 http://www.aapd.org/policies
More AAPD Policies and Guidelines
Management of Patients with Special Health Care Needs
 http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/G_SHCN.pdf
Policy on Interim Therapeutic Restorations
 http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/P_ITR.pdf
Protective Stabilization for Pediatric Patients
 http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/G_Protective.pdf
More AAPD Policies and Guidelines
Ethical responsibility to treat or refer
 http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/P_Ethic.pdf
Transition from pediatric to adult care
 http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/P_Transitioni
ng.pdf
Recipe for Maintaining Oral Health
Healthy Community
 Community water fluoridation
Healthy Home
 Healthy diet and home care
Healthy Schools
 Healthy food, drink and play
Quality Dental Home
 Used regularly
Thank You
Contact me with questions
Jay Balzer, DMD, MPH
Consultant, ASTDD
[email protected]