title: Dental needs assessment and access to care for adolescents.
abstract: For many, the adolescent years can be a difficult emotional period and a time when dental and medical needs may be neglected. Oral health needs are critical factors in the maturation of the adolescent,whether they involve the relief of pain, improved nutrition, an in-crease in self-esteem with orthodontic treatment, or "just" saving the dentition from the ravages of the early stages of periodontal disease. This article reviews demographic characteristics of adolescents in the United States with regard to oral health status, use of dental services, barriers to dental care, and children who have special health needs.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8706, USA. hwaldman@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
authors.forename: H Barry
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Waldman
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Perlman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003729:Dental Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007347:Insurance, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000191:economics; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009909:Oral Health; D011247:Pregnancy; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States