UAB School of Dentistry: reaching outside the walls.

Dental schools, through their service learning community outreach programs, provide both oral health services to underserved populations and experiences in service to dental students. The program at the School of Dentistry, University of Alabama is an example of such a program. The unmet needs for oral health care in the state are significant.

Access to dental care in Alabama for children with special needs: parents' perspectives.

Background: Access to dental care and delivery of quality dental health services are important for children with special needs. The authors surveyed parents of children with special needs in Alabama to determine their perceptions of access and barriers to dental care for their children.

Methods: The authors sent a questionnaire to 2,057 parents of children aged 3 to 13 years with special needs--cleft lip and/or palate; cerebral palsy, or CP; spina bifida; or epilepsy/seizure disorders--who were listed in a database provided by Children Rehabilitation Services of Alabama.