title: A preliminary analysis of the US dental health care system's capacity to treat children with special health care needs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to use existing data to determine capacity of the US dental care system to treat children with special health care needs (CSHCN).
  
  
  METHODS
  A deductive analysis using recent existing data was used to determine the: possible available appointments for CSHCN in hospitals and educational programs/institutions; and the ratio of CSHCN to potential available and able providers in the United States sorted by 6 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) districts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using existing data sets, this analysis found 57 dental schools, 61 advanced education in general dentistry programs, 174 general practice residencies, and 87 children's hospital dental clinics in the United States. Nationally, the number of CSHCN was determined to be 10,221,436. The distribution, on average, of CSHCN per care source/provider ranged from 1,327 to 2,357 in the 6 AAPD districts. Children's hospital dental clinics had fewer than 1 clinic appointment or 1 operating room appointment available per CSHCN. The mean number of CSHCN patients per provider, if distributed equally, was 1,792.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current US dental care system has extremely limited capacity to care for children with special health care needs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kerins
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Casamassimo
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ciesla
authors.forename: Yosuk
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: N Sue
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Seale
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D002648:Child; D003190:Comprehensive Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019992:Databases as Topic; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003740:Dental Clinics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004499:Education, Dental, Graduate / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006302:Health Services Research; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010377:Pediatric Dentistry / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012575:Schools, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States