Dental care for children and young people who have a hearing impairment.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to determine whether there are indications that hearing-impaired children experience difficulties in accessing dental care and/or in receiving dental treatment.


METHODS
The study was carried out by means of a questionnaire. Parents of 84 children contacted through the National Deaf Children's Society returned completed questionnaires.


RESULTS
Eighty-two children (98%) had visited a dentist. Nearly two-thirds (63%) were reported to have at least one problem in communication while receiving dental care, this increased significantly as the severity of the hearing impairment increased. Fifty-nine children (70%) reported having at least one problem in communication at the doctors'. Fifty-two (62%) reported that the dentist had worn a mask while communicating with the child and 48 (57%) that there had been background noise in the surgery during appointments.


CONCLUSIONS
Removing masks while talking, reducing background noise and learning to use simple signs may improve communication with hearing-impaired children.
Champion
J
J
WHO Collaborating Centre for Disability, Culture and Oral Health, Eastman Dental Institute, London, UK.
Holt
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003144:Communication Barriers; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008397:Masks; D009622:Noise; D009633:Nonverbal Communication; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom