Dental care for people with disabilities
If you have a disability it may be hard to visit a dental surgery. There are options available to ensure that you have full access to dental care and treatment.
Referral to a health centre or clinic
Your disability or medical condition may mean you need extra time, care or special features to receive proper dental treatment. A health centre or clinic can provide this.
Some hospitals or health centres offer specialist alternative treatment, which may involve sedation or general anaesthetic.
This may be most suitable for:
- children with disabilities
- someone who has a severe learning disability
- someone, due to their particular impairment, is unable to remain still during the treatment period
If you are unable to visit a dentist, they may be able to bring dental treatment to where you live. Treatment options outside the surgery are limited. The time of day when the dentist can visit may also be limited due to normal surgery hours.
General dental practitioners may treat you at your home or temporary residence, provided your condition requires this and they agree to accept you as a patient for Health Service care. You should confirm with the dentist that care is being provided under Health Service arrangements.
Alternatively, the Health Service community dental service provided by your local primary care trust may be able to visit you at home. Your doctor or a local dentist can give you contact details.
If you are taking any medication it's important to let your dentist know. Your dentist will also need to know:
- the name of your doctor
- the name of your consultant at your hospital if you are taking medication
- if you've have had an operation
- if you use for example, an inhaler
Your rights to healthcare
Under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) you have rights of access to dentists' surgeries, and dentists should make 'reasonable adjustments' to their premises and procedures. A small dental surgery would perhaps not be expected to make the type of adjustment that a hospital would be able to make.
More about dental care
There is more information about dental care in the 'health and well-being' section of nidirect.
The website of the British Dental Health foundation has plenty of information about all aspects of dental health, including information about dental care for people with special needs.