title: Dental services for individuals with special health care needs are an increased reality for practitioners in California.
abstract: A series of government and voluntary agency reports is used to compare the increasing growth of the numbers of children and adults with disabilities and special health care needs in California and the nation. Demographic data are used to emphasize the extent and impact of these special needs. The finding that dental care is the service most needed but not received by children with special needs is cited with a challenge to the profession.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Dentistry, Stony Brook University, School of Dental Medicine, Stony Brook 11794-8706, USA.
authors.forename: H Barry
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Waldman
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Perlman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States