This study compared oral health and demographic characteristics of patients with and without disabilities at a dental school emergency clinic. Of 407 consecutive patients surveyed, 20.4% reported disabilities. Two groups matched by age and gender, those with disabilities (DIS, n = 79) and those without disabilities (ND, n = 177), were compared on questionnaire responses; two subgroups, DIS (n = 38) and ND (n = 44), were assessed clinically. The mean ages of the DIS and ND groups were 44.0 years (SD +/- 11.6) and 43.0 years (SD +/- 12.3), respectively. By chi-squared analysis, DIS vs. ND subjects had significantly lower levels of education, employment, income, and dental insurance, and greater dependence on Government funding. In the DIS group, 79.5% were not working, while 6.4% did work regularly. In the ND group, the corresponding values were 30.9% and 46.9%, respectively. In the DIS group, 51.9% identified Medicaid acceptance as the reason they sought care at the clinic, while 62.7% of the subjects in the ND group identified the lower fee structure as the reason for clinic selection. More DIS than ND subjects reported dentists' unavailability and inability to manage the disability, lack of transportation, effect of dental problems on health, and referral by a health professional. DIS vs. ND subjects had significantly fewer sound teeth and more missing teeth. The results suggest that one in five dental school emergency clinic patients has disabilities.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.