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Mohamed A Hendaus,1– 3 Deena Shaltout,1,4 Dure Yasrab,4 Aya Al-Noubani,4 Sara G Hamad,4 Mohammed Alamri,2 Ahmed H Alhammadi1– 3 1Department of Pediatrics, Section of Academic General Pediatrics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar; 2Department of Pediatrics, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; 3Department of Clinical Pediatrics, Weill-Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar; 4Pediatric Residency Program, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarCorrespondence: Deena ShaltoutDepartment of Pediatrics, Sidra Medicine, Doha 26999, QatarTel +974-4003-6559Fax +974-4443-9571Email dshaltout@sidra.orgBackground and Objectives: There is a major gap in the literature that addresses parental perception of acquiring a dental home for children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN). The objectives of this study are to assess parental perceptions and challenges in acquiring a dental home for their CSHCN.Methods: Cross-sectional prospective study using a questionnaire.Results: A total of 302 questionnaires were completed by caregivers. More than 70% of children had developmental delay, 20% had musculoskeletal disabilities, and the rest had respiratory compromise on non-invasive ventilation, learning disability, and visual and hearing disabilities; 75% of the caregivers do not believe pediatricians are qualified to contribute in oral hygiene. Moreover, 70% of children had not had a routine dentist visit in the 12 months preceding the interview. The reasons given for the lack of such visits included the long time of appointments (25%), difficulty in child’s mobility (17%), the perception that dental care is expensive (9%), and a lack of dentist experience in dealing with children with special needs (5%). When asked what factors would encourage caregivers to choose a dental home for their children, 63% mentioned quick appointments, followed by dentists specialized in children with special needs (51%), child friendly atmosphere (21%), low cost (26.6%), close to home (20%), and others (6%). Interestingly, the majority of parents (75%) believed that the primary pediatrician of the child should initiate the dental home process.Conclusion: Despite proper resources, children with special healthcare needs lack proper oral healthcare. This could be attributed to the lack of a dental home. A pediatrician’s role is crucial in initiating the process of acquiring a dental home for this special population.Keywords: dental home, children, special needs, pediatric |
