Abstract
Objectives: The goals of this study were to assess the types of dental treatment offered and their frequencies in a municipal dental facility for the disabled patients, and to acquire baseline data for developing viable oral health policies for the disabled. Methods: This study was a retrospective study, based on the patient chart of the 266 disabled individuals who had visited Boramae Municipal Hospital, a dental clinic for the disabled, between 1997 and 2004. They had collectively received 2,110 dental treatments during this time period. Results: All of the recipients of the dental treatments at the clinic were mentally handicapped patients. The most prevalent complaint from this patients was dental caries, and the major area in need of a dental care was restorative treatment. The children 7-12 years of age have the highest frequency of dental treatmenta among the patients with mental disabilities, Down's syndrome and autism, while the 19+ age group among the cerebral palsy. In all of the age groups, the most prevalent treatment required was dental caries. The average number of cases for dental care per patient of each year was 3.8. Conclusions: The vast majority of the individuals with mental disabilityes in Korea have suffered from dental diseases such as caries. It is imperative to help these individuals to maintain adquate oral health by delivering regular dental examinations and oral prophylaxis. It is absolutely critical to establish systematic public policies for dental health care for the disabled in a timely manner.