Medical-dental findings and management of a child with infantile Refsum disease: a case report.

Infantile Refsum disease (IRD) is a peroxisome biogenesis disorder (PBD), and is part of a larger group of diseases called leukodystrophies, which are inherited conditions that damage the white matter of the brain and affect motor movements. Multiple signs and symptoms of IRD begin in infancy and progress through early childhood, including hearing and visual impairment, intellectual and growth impairment, seizures, liver involvement, and orofacial and dental abnormalities. This paper presents a case history of a 12-year-old female patient with IRD who underwent dental rehabilitation in the operating room under general anesthesia and includes a 2-year follow-up.

Dental trauma in children and adolescents with mental and physical disabilities.

Aim: to determine the occurrence of dental trauma in children and adolescents with a mental and/or physical disability compared to otherwise healthy children, and to assess factors associated with and mechanism of such trauma.

Methods: Eighty-six subjects consisting of 43 special needs and 43 otherwise healthy children between the ages of 8 and 15 years were chosen from the patient pool at Special Children's Dental Clinic within Children's Hospital, New Orleans. The study utilized a parent interview questionnaire and a clinical exam of the patient.

Comprehensive oral rehabilitation with general anesthesia and prosthetic care in the primary dentition: a case report.

This case report describes the oral rehabilitation of a 5-year-old male referred by a general dentist to a pediatric dentist due to acute psychological stress to dental treatment and extensive dental caries. The patient's dental restorations and extractions were completed under general anesthesia. Maxillary and mandibular prostheses were completed in the outpatient clinical setting.

Educational issues workshop report.

This panel addressed issues affecting the education of dentists, dental hygienists, and nondental health care providers regarding oral health of persons with special health care needs (PSHCN). The panel was composed of individuals representing: (1) dental education; (2) medicine; and (3) parents of special-needs patients. They were charged with: (1) identifying problems related to the education of dentists and nondental health care providers that influence access to oral health care for PSHCN; (2) developing recommendations for action by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; and (3) prioritizing the problems and recommendations.

Tennessee ranks comparatively high in some health measures, but..

State ranking and proportion reports from the United Health Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation on health and social conditions are used to demonstrate the difficulties faced by the State of Tennessee in its effort to provide for the needed services for its residents. The concerns faced by the dental profession, in its effort to provide needed oral health services, are a component of the complexities to improve the modest ranking of the state in a series of health and social attributes.

When should children have their first dental visit?

In summary, the goals of infant oral health care are to: Break the cycle of early childhood caries; Disrupt the acquisition of harmful microflora; Manage the risk/benefit of habits; Establish a dental home for health or harm; Impart optimal fluoride protection; and Use anticipatory guidance to arm parents in the therapeutic alliance.

More than 56,000 children with disabilities in Tennessee.

Since 1990, Tennessee has been ranked among the states with a series of health and social difficulties. In addition, there are more than 56,000 children with disabilities in the state. In an effort to personalize these findings, the numbers of children with disabilities are presented by city, metropolitan area, county, and congressional districts.

People with disabilities: how are we going to meet their needs?

The proportion of the population age 65+ years will increase to 20% of U.S. residents in the next decades.

Preparing dental graduates to provide care to individuals with special needs.

In 2004, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) adopted a new standard that directs dental and dental hygiene programs to prepare dental professionals for the care of persons with special health care needs. This article reviews the demographics of individuals with special needs, documents that most dental schools provide their students with very limited educational opportunities related to the care of this population, describes the path that was followed to bring about change in the accrediting standard, and discusses the difficulties involved in developing the needed educational programs. Educational programs at two dental schools are presented as examples of how schools can provide students with learning experiences pertinent to the new CODA standard that states: "Graduates must be competent in assessing the treatment needs of patients with special needs.

The American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry: eliminating health disparities for individuals with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities.

Recent reports by Special Olympics International and the U.S. Surgeon General have revealed significant disparities and unmet health needs encountered by persons with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities (MR/DD).