title: Management of children with autism spectrum disorder in the dental setting: concerns, behavioural approaches and recommendations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article reviews the present literature on the issues encountered while coping with children with autistic spectrum disorder from the dental perspective. The autistic patient profile and external factors affecting the oral health status of this patient population are discussed upon the existing body of evidence.
  
  
  METHODS
  The MEDLINE database was searched using the terms 'Autistic Disorder', 'Behaviour Control/methods', 'Child', 'Dental care for disabled', 'Education', 'Oral Health', and 'Pediatric Dentistry' to locate related articles published up to January 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the relevant studies indicate poor oral hygiene whereas they are inconclusive regarding the caries incidence in autistic individuals. Undergraduate dental education appears to determine the competence of dental professionals to treat developmentally disabled children and account partly for compromised access to dental care. Dental management of an autistic child requires in-depth understanding of the background of the autism and available behavioural guidance theories. The dental professional should be flexible to modify the treatment approach according to the individual patient needs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Postbus 30.001 9700, RB Groningen, The Netherlands, c.livas@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Konstantina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Delli
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Reichart
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Bornstein
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Livas
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000150:complications*; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D009909:Oral Health; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*