Access to dental care for persons with developmental disabilities in Ontario.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to determine the proportion of persons primarily with developmental disabilities who encounter difficulties accessing dental care in Ontario, to identify perceived barriers to accessing dental care and to determine if persons with disabilities and their caregivers believe that oral health is important.


METHODS
Community organizations providing services mainly to persons with developmental disabilities in Ontario were recruited to circulate a questionnaire to their members by mail or the Internet. Fourteen organizations mailed out a total of 1,755 paper questionnaires in autumn 2006, of which 420 (23.9%) were returned; in addition, 236 Internet questionnaires were returned.


RESULTS
Of the 656 paper and Internet responses, 634 were deemed valid. Most of the respondents had developmental disabilities. Almost three-quarters of respondents (464 [73.2%] ) reported being able to access dental services in Ontario. Personal (internal) factors were more likely to represent barriers to dental care than external factors.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of persons with disabilities and most caregivers believed that oral health is important for overall health.
Koneru
Anjani
A
College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. anjani.koneru@usask.ca
Sigal
Michael J
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001321:Autistic Disorder; D001930:Brain Injuries; D017028:Caregivers; D002547:Cerebral Palsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities; D002658:Developmental Disabilities; D004314:Down Syndrome; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007347:Insurance, Dental; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D009909:Oral Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult