American Academy of Pediatrics, New Jersey Chapter
Children and adults with special health care needs are more likely to have poorer oral hygiene, increased prevalence of periodontal disease, higher rates of tooth loss, and increased untreated dental caries than the general population. Poor oral health is linked to several health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and other cardiovascular, endocrine, and respiratory diseases. Many dentists do not treat patients with Intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), particularly adults, because they feel unprepared or inexperienced in treating them.
The “Improving Oral Health Across the Lifespan” program seeks to achieve policy, system, and environmental changes to improve access and prevention of oral health care issues among children and adults with special health care needs. NJAAP in collaboration with the NJ Oral Health Coalition and its partners seek recommendations to expand the disability community voice and recruit consumers from different races and ethnicities who represent parents of children with special health care needs and adults with physical disabilities.
The successful implementation of this effort will lead to:
- A Dental Directory for people with disabilities participating with the NJ Family Care Program
- Provide input on the design of NJ Department of Health Oral Health Action Plan (5-year road map)
- Conducting provider and community education
- Policy awareness and education to increase dental workforce training and access to oral health care for people with disabilities
