Dental Treatments in Patients with Special Needs Provided by University Medical Center in South of Taiwan—A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Abstract Objectives: IN the medical center's special needs dental care department, we performed dental prevention and invasion interventions at OPD, under GA, and provided home visit dental care, depending on patients’ barriers. We aim to evaluate the profile of dental treatment procedures performed and the characteristics of special needs patients (SNP). Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective, observational study involving a sample of 3117 SNP treated in the medical center of South Taiwan. Demographic data and clinical information were collected. Data analysis was performed using descriptive analysis, frequency statistical tests, and correlation statistics analysis. Results: 3117 participants aged 1 to 100 years old; 89.3% of the SNP received care at the outpatient department and 7.7% received dental treatment under OPD GA, for the remaining 3% of SNP, we provided dental care via home visit. Among those SNP who received OPD GA, 91.2% were patients with mental or intellectual disabilities. A vast majority of all subjects under OPD GA underwent multiple dental extractions (56.5%) and restorations (69.5%). Conclusions: Comprehensive dental care, an integral part of special care dentistry, can be safely provided in a hospital setting. While early intervention using behavioral management partially mitigates the need for dental care under GA, most SNP may require dental treatment in the future to facilitate complex dental care. In addition, home visit dental treatment also provides a dental treatment option for some patients who are unable to go to the hospital due to their disability. Clinical Relevance: The oral care needs and supply of people with special needs have not been balanced. The dental provider and the demander are at two ends of the scale, and the role of the caregiver in the middle is crucial. This researcher, a dentist at a medical center was deeply aware of inequality, so we hope to get a glimpse of it by reviewing past cases.