Autism and primary care dentistry: parents' experiences of taking children with autism or working diagnosis of autism for dental examinations

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry
Nicole ThomasDavid R Moles

Abstract

Accessing and receiving preventative dental treatment can be difficult for children with autism due to sensory processing disorders and/or challenging behaviours coupled with a reported reluctance by dentists to treat these children. To gather dental experiences of UK parents of children with autism or working diagnosis of autism and explore how they feel primary care dental services can be improved. A total of 17 parents of children with a diagnosis or working diagnosis of autism took part in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed thematically. Key themes identified were flexibility of the dental team and environment, confidence of the parents to advocate for their children's needs, continuity of services and clear referral pathways to specialist services. Cross-cutting all themes was the value of clear communication. The experiences provide greater understanding of issues such as hyper-empathy, the dental chair, challenges of the waiting room, perceived medical authority, and the importance of continuation of care. In line with previous research about the importance of family-centred care, a strong relationship between parents and the whole dental team is essential for children with autism to access dental examination...Continue Reading

References

Jul 22, 2009·International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry·Cheen Y LooChristopher V Hughes
Jan 18, 2011·Special Care in Dentistry : Official Publication of the American Association of Hospital Dentists, the Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped, and the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry·Taryn N WeilMarita Rohr Inglehart
May 20, 2011·Special Care in Dentistry : Official Publication of the American Association of Hospital Dentists, the Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped, and the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry·Leah I SteinSharon A Cermak
Jun 1, 2011·Journal of Applied Oral Science : Revista FOB·Mohamed Abdullah Jaber
Oct 12, 2012·European Journal of Dental Education : Official Journal of the Association for Dental Education in Europe·D FaulksA Dougall
Aug 30, 2013·Medicina oral, patología oral y cirugía bucal·Konstantina DelliChristos Livas
Sep 5, 2013·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·Lorena M OrellanaFrancisco J Silvestre
Nov 30, 2014·Autism : the International Journal of Research and Practice·Rennan Y DuColman Pj McGrath
Dec 4, 2014·Special Care in Dentistry : Official Publication of the American Association of Hospital Dentists, the Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped, and the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry·Travis M NelsonRaphael Bernier
Nov 1, 2016·International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry·Silvana Nunes da SilvaTamara Kerber Tedesco

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 20, 2019·European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry : Official Journal of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry·O B Al-BataynehA I Owais
Jan 15, 2020·Autism : the International Journal of Research and Practice·Phoebe Py LamCynthia Ky Yiu
Sep 14, 2019·International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry·Daniele Garcovich, Milagros Adobes Martin
Jan 1, 2021·European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry : Official Journal of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry·L S KindC C Bonifacio
Mar 9, 2021·Special Care in Dentistry : Official Publication of the American Association of Hospital Dentists, the Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped, and the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry·Audrey McMillionAnna Remington
Mar 28, 2021·Evidence-based Dentistry·N Thomas, S Blake
Sep 29, 2021·Special Care in Dentistry : Official Publication of the American Association of Hospital Dentists, the Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped, and the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry·Audrey McMillionAnna Remington

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Attention Disorders

Attention is involved in all cognitive activities, and attention disorders are reported in patients with various neurological diseases. Here are the latest discoveries pertaining to attention disorders.

Auditory Perception

Auditory perception is the ability to receive and interpret information attained by the ears. Here is the latest research on factors and underlying mechanisms that influence auditory perception.

Autism

Autism spectrum disorder is associated with challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, and often accompanied by sensory sensitivities and medical issues. Here is the latest research on autism.