[Dental care for disabled people]

Patients with disabilities represent a population with special needs whose dental care management constitutes a public health problem. This article describes dental care of disabled people in a hospital dental care unit to highlight the difficulties encountered and propose ways to improve this care.

A retrospective descriptive study was carried out on patients followed between 2010 and 2016 as part of the partnership between the Albert Chenevier Hospital odontology department and the RHAPSOD'IF network. The data collected by means of ?follow-up sheets? described the procedures performed and any medication used. These anonymised records were analysed by Excel software.

Dental care sessions for the 434 disabled persons consisted of visits (42 to 57%), restorations and scalings each represented 1/6 of all procedures performed (14 to 19% and 14 to 18%), and surgery and radiography each represented 1/8 of procedures (4 to 12% and 6 to 11%). There were almost no dental prostheses (0 to 1%). Most dental care sessions were performed without premedication (61 to 76%).

This type of dental care requires training of families and caregivers, a good interpersonal approach and time to build a relationship of trust. Participation in a network is important to help, support, and advise the practitioner and to provide financial support.