Where can people with special needs obtain dental care?

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The ADA Council on Access, Prevention and Interprofessional Relations suggests the following tips:

* Inform the dentist about your special health or financial conditions.

* Ask if the dentist has training and/or experience in treating patients with your specific condition.

* Ask if the dentist has an interest in treating patients with your specific condition.

* Find out if the dentist participates in your dental benefit plan (dental insurance program.)

* Ask if the dental facility is accessible to the disabled.

In addition, the Council suggests that patients with special needs

* Call or write the dental director at your state department of public health.

* Contact the nearest dental school clinic or hospital dental department, especially if it is affiliated with a major university.

* Contact the Special Care Dentistry (Formerly Federation of Special Care Organizations in Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry for a referral.

* Also, the National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse may have useful information.

* Contact the National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped (NFDH), a charitable affiliate of the American Dental Association since 1988. The NFDH, via several programs, facilitates the provision of comprehensive dental care for needy disabled, elderly, and medically compromised individuals.

* Dentists and dental institutions organizing or participating in voluntary projects that care for uninsured and underserved patients will find information, and grant opportunities through Volunteers in Health Care (VIH). VIH Program staff are available to assist you at the toll-free number 1-877-844-8442.




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Single- or multiple-visit endodontics ?

Question: When individuals undergo root canal treatment, does a single-visit approach result in a higher frequency of post-treatment problems than a multiple-visit one?

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Studies were included if subjects had a noncontributory medical history; underwent nonsurgical root canal treatment during the study; there was comparison between single- and multiple-visit root canal treatment; and if outcome was measured in terms of pain degree or prevalence of flare-up.

Data were extracted using a standard data extraction sheet. Because of variations in recorded outcomes and methodological and clinical heterogeneity, a meta-analysis was not carried out, although a qualitative synthesis was presented.

Sixteen studies fitted the inclusion criteria in the review, with sample size varying from 60–1012 cases. The prevalence of postoperative pain ranged from 3–58%. The heterogeneity of the included studies was far too great to yield meaningful results from a meta-analysis.

Compelling evidence is lacking to indicate any significantly different prevalence of postoperative pain or flare-up following either single- or multiple-visit root canal treatment.

(Source: Evidence-Based Dentistry (2009) 10, 16. doi:10.1038/sj.ebd.6400630)

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