title: Dental care for developmentally disabled.
abstract: There are an estimated 3.9 million developmentally disabled people in the United States, 300,000 of whom reside in Florida. Oral health is an issue relevant to the quality of life of these individuals. A person's self-esteem and interpersonal relations within the community, including employment and friendships, are directly affected by--and associated with a healthy mouth and smile. There are factors at both the individual and community levels that may inhibit accessibility to comprehensive dental care for developmentally disabled citizens. Parents, caretakers, public health workers, community agencies, and dentists have their unique perspectives on this issue.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Burtner
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: McNeal
mesh_terms: D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities; D005431:Florida; D006801:Humans; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities