Serving Patients With IDDs
Inside Dentistry provides the latest in endodontics, implantology, periodontics, and more, with in-depth articles, expert videos, and top industry insights.
February 1, 2022
Volume 18, Issue 2, February 2022
Page(s): p. 2
Individuals with disabilities face challenges in many aspects of their daily lives, and accessing care to maintain their overall health and oral health is no exception. For individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), which include Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, and other conditions, these challenges can be particularly significant.
Certainly, eliminating any social stigma or fear associated with caring for individuals with IDDs is essential to increasing access to dentistry for this underserved population, but I believe that most dentists are compassionate caregivers who are willing to treat these patients-the issues are training and reimbursement. Dental school programs need to continue to improve their educational offerings at all levels regarding treating patients with IDDs. At the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, we offer a 1-year postgraduate program for a certificate in Geriatric and Special Needs Dentistry. Regarding reimbursement, although organizations are advocating for increased insurance and Medicaid payments for treating patients with IDDs, progress is slow. However, as the article notes, for dentists who seek out the training, treating patients with IDDs can not only provide an opportunity to improve oral healthcare for an underserved population but also provide an opportunity to boost profits by acquiring their family members as patients.
Robert C. Margeas, DDS
Editor-in-Chief, Inside Dentistry
Private Practice, Des Moines, Iowa
Adjunct Professor
Department of Operative Dentistry
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
rmargeas_eic@aegiscomm.com
