This article features the three-dentist House Call Dentist (HCD) team, a division of the nationally known Blende Dental Group based in San Francisco, headed by Dr. David Blende. Dr. Blende is best known for providing dental care utilizing sleep and sedation modalities, and as a leader in the field of dentistry for patients with special needs. The…

National health surveys prove that people with disabilities receive fewer routine health examinations, fewer immunizations, less mental healthcare, less prophylactic oral healthcare, and fewer opportunities for physical exercise and athletic achievement than do other Americans. Those with communication difficulties are especially at greater risk…

There is always room for improvement in the delivery of health services. This article discusses the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) Health Care Innovations Exchange (www.innovations.ahrq.gov), a comprehensive program that aims to increase awareness of innovative strategies to meet health service delivery challenges and…

Meeting the needs of a loved one with a disability or complex medical condition presents challenges everyday, and it becomes very easy for a parent or caregiver to allow concerns such as dental health to fall by the wayside in the face of other priorities. However, healthy teeth and gums are necessary for overall health. People with special needs…

Tooth decay in children is on the rise in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tooth decay rose 4 percent in the two-to five-year-old age group in the last four years. These statistics are disturbing to dental professionals because of the ability to prevent approximately 85 percent of tooth decay.…

Too many parents of children with special healthcare needs come upon dental care for their child out of necessity or urgency. In order to make the relationship most beneficial, the preferred way is to establish a Dental Home during the child's infancy. The Dental Home is the oral health corollary of the Medical Home concept that the American…

Suggestions are presented for helping disabled individuals learn to use or adapt toothbrushes for proper dental care. A directory lists dental health instructional materials available from various organizations. (CB)