The Transition of Patients with Special Health Care Needs From Pediatric to Adult-Based Dental Care: A Scoping Review

The purpose of this study was to explore the breadth and extent of evidence regarding the transition of health care from pediatric to adult-based care for patients with special health care needs (SHCN), including evidence-based protocols to guide future research for the care of these patients. A scoping review protocol was used. A comprehensive literature search was completed for the relevant keywords and in multiple databases. Additional literature was identified from references within these articles. The inclusion criteria included both medical and dental literature to capture all pertinent information. Resulting article abstracts were screened and a full article review was performed to determine final inclusion. Twenty-four articles were included. There is more medical literature for transition care for patients with chronic medical conditions than for oral health care. While there have been policy statements and guidelines published, these are not supported by high-quality evidence. There are no evidence-based protocols to guide this process. There is limited information within the current literature to guide the transition process for patients with special health care needs from pediatric to adult-based dental care. This is an area of study that can be explored in more depth to help improve dental management and care for patients with SHCN.