Accessible Dentistry for Persons who use Wheelchairs

Information on this topic is organized in these categories:

• Consumer Tips
• Resources Advocating Accessible Dental Care
• Architectural Accessibility for Dental Practices
• Some Accessible Dental Practices
• Education and Training Resources
• Bibliography and Journals

Consumer Tips

• About Smiles Oral Health - for children and adults with special needs
• Dentistry for the Disabled Child and Adult - some ideas from Jim Bubenik, DMD
• Frequently Asked Questions - a reource on the site of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• Oral Health in America: A Report from the Surgeon General
• Tips for People who have Special Needs - a resource page at the American Dental Association (ADA)
  • Animations for brushing and flossing - a resource page at the ADA

Resources Advocating Accessible Dental Care

• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• British Society for Disability and Oral Health
• International Association for Disability and Oral Health
• National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped
• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
• National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resources Center
• National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse - an information resource for special care patients.
  • Practical Oral Care for People with Developmental Disabilities
  • Oral Conditions in Children with Special Needs
  • Resource Links at NOHIC
• Special Care Dentistry

Architectural Accessibility for Dental Practices

• The US Access Board - a federal agency committed to accessible design which has responsibility for the ADA Accessiblity Guidelines
  • Medical Care Facilities - the specific part of the ADAAG related to health care facitlities
  • How to file a complaint
• Design Specific Homepage - hydraulic platform that can manipulate wheelchair patients in their chairs as though they were in a normal chair.
• Medical and Dental Space Planning: a comprehensive guide to design, equipment and clinical procedures by Jain Malkin.
• Removing Barriers to Health Care: A Guide for Health Professionals - The Center for Universal Design and North Carolina Office on Disability and Health.

Some Accessible Dental Practices

• Apple Tree Dental
• Red River Dental Access
• Special Smiles - a database for locating dental resources for persons with physical, mental, medical, or other disabilities.

Education and Training Resources

• Dental Education in Care of Persons with Disabilities - University of Washington, School of Dentistry.
• Oral Healthcare for Persons with Disabilities - University of Florida, College of Dentistry.
• Continuing Dental Education - University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry.
• National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse - an NIH resource for special care dentistry.
• OpenWide: oral health training for health professionals - a resource at the National Maternal and Child oral Health Resource Center
• Transferring from a wheelchair to a dental chair - a PPT slide lecture prepared by Daniel Jolly, DDS at the Ohio State University College of Dentistry
• Wheelchair Transfer - an illustrated 6-step resource on the National Insitute of Dental and Craniofacial Research

Bibliography and Journals

• Bennett, C.R. (1998). Dentistry and the Disabled. p. 20-24. (1.6 MB .pdf) - an article in TeamRehab Report January 1998.
• British Dental Journal
• Americans with Disabilities Act: Questions and Answers. (1992) - a pamphlet from The American Dental Association.
• International Association for Dental Research - a site for professional dentistry journals. Click on "Abstract database search" using the search term "special needs."

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Last Updated: 3-2-2006