title: Preventive strategies in oral health for special needs patients.
abstract: As regards to the most common oral disease in pediatric patients, intellectual disability is not a risk factor for caries disease itself, but it rather reduces the individual capability to self-care and therefore to his own oral care. Children suffering of systemic pathologies and/or with different stages of disability are to be considered at high risk for dental caries development. According to recent guidelines for oral health prevention in childhood, individual additional strategies for a preventive care should be applied for these patients. All the health providers, family and caregivers should be involved with the aim of being aware, motivated and informed on oral health issues, and a better access system to the dental care structure, both logistic, professional and economical should be assured.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Iole
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vozza
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cavallè
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corridore
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ripari
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spota
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brugnoletti
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillo Facial Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guerra
keywords: health promotion; oral care; prevention; special needs