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Update: At it's
July 30, 2004 meeting, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (of the American
Dental Association) adopted revisions to both the Accreditation Standards for
Dental Education Programs and the Accreditation Standards for Dental Hygiene
Education Programs with an implementation date of January 1, 2006.
Click here to read more.
VOR Supports Special Dentistry Curriculum
April 4, 2002
Karen M. Hart, Director
Commission on Dental Accreditation
American Dental Association
211 E. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
Dear Ms. Hart:
I am writing to offer Voice of the Retarded's (VOR) support for the inclusion
of language in the "Accreditation Standards for Dental Education
Programs" document requiring that dental students receive didactic
instruction and/or clinical hands-on experience in the dental management of
persons with developmental disabilities.
VOR is a national advocacy organization representing individuals with mental
retardation and their families. VOR is the only national organization supporting
a full array of services and supports for people with mental retardation,
including community-based and institutional options.
The trend in the field of mental retardation is to afford individuals the
opportunity to receive services and supports in community-based settings. Health
care professionals, including dentists, are, therefore, increasingly receiving
patients with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. There is no
indication that this trend will slow. To the contrary, as some advocacy
organizations work to aggressively dismantle the institutional option, an
increasing number of people with severe and profound mental retardation will be
requiring access to qualified dental professionals. Lack of access to such
professionals greatly reduces the likelihood that affected individuals with
severe and profound mental retardation will enjoy a high quality of health, life
and happiness in their community programs.
The American Dental Association, through its Commission on Dental
Accreditation, must act now. There is no way that a lasting impact can be made,
nor can improvement in standard of care be achieved, unless the educational
curriculum includes developmental medicine and dentistry.
Advocacy organizations are united in their concern regarding the overall
ability of people with mental retardation to access quality dental professionals
who are trained to accommodate their unique needs. The Surgeon General and
several professional and advocacy organizations have closely studied this issue:
- "People with MR [Mental Retardation] are remaining in their
communities. In ever-increasing numbers, people with MR either do not enter
institutions, or they leave them to live with their families or in other
community settings, and they are determined to understand and take charge of
their health. But, in most cases, neither the education and training of
health professionals nor the other elements of the Nation's health system
have been updated to reflect their progress." Closing the Gap: A
National Blueprint to Improve the Health of Persons with Mental Retardation,
Report of the U.S. Surgeon General's Conference on Health Disparities and
Mental Retardation, February 2002.
- "Access to oral health care for people with developmental
disabilities is a national problem. Almost two-thirds of community-based
residential facilities report that inadequate access to dental care is a
significant issue." [Preliminary Report: Access to Oral Health Care for
Florida's Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, Florida Developmental
Disabilities Council, Inc., July, 2001].
- "The lack of access to appropriate health care services also may be a
relatively new problem for individuals with MR, resulting, at least in part,
from the deinstitutionalization of the 1970s and 1980s . . . Not all [of
those transferred from institutions], however, have their health care needs
adequately addressed in the community, due to a limited availability of
community resources and a lack of access to both knowledgeable care
providers and a continuity of care." [The Health Status and Needs of
Individuals with Mental Retardation, Yale University School of Medicine for
Special Olympics Inc., December 18, 2000].
- "The report that we are going to receive emphasizes the urgent need
to identify scientific knowledge, and develop programs to improve the
quality and length of life for persons with mental retardation."
[Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), Chairman, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and
Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies, Special Hearing, March
5, 2001].
- No one intends for the move to the community to result in a deterioration
of an individual's health, specifically oral health. However, that is
exactly what is happening for some citizens, especially those who cannot
access comprehensive oral care in their community or require special
behavior management during dental procedures . . .The provision of oral
health care to people with developmental disabilities requires patience,
empathy and a higher degree of knowledge and skill in behavior management.
Reportedly, many dentists are reluctant to treat this population due [to] a
lack of knowledge and understanding, feelings of inadequacy and an inability
to obtain fees commensurate with the time and effort required. [Preservation
of Quality Oral Health Care Services for People with Developmental
Disabilities, Academy of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities, American
Dental Association, February 1, 1996].
VOR applauds the advances that have been made over the past several decades on
behalf of people with mental retardation. A great many more individuals are
enjoying quality experiences in appropriate community-based settings. There are
many people, though, who are suffering -- as the above resources indicate -- for
lack of access to quality oral health care. The American Dental Association can
help by putting in place a process that will ensure future dental professionals
are equipped with the tools they need to competently and compassionately serve
all people with mental retardation. Steven P. Perlman, DDS, MScD, wrote,
"Oral health professionals are responsible for the dental care of the
entire community in which they practice. This includes individuals with special
healthcare needs." [Ask the Doctor: Comprehensive Preventive Oral Care,
Exceptional Parent, October 1999].
On behalf of people with mental retardation and their families, Voice of the
Retarded thanks in advance the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental
Accreditation, for requiring curriculum specific to accommodating the special
needs of people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. Putting
such a requirement in place now will help ensure the future success and
happiness of many individuals with mental retardation receiving community based
services and supports.
Sincerely,
Tamie Hopp
Executive Director
Voice of the Retarded
605-399-1624 voice
605-399-1631 fax
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