Dental hygienists' attitudes towards dental care for people with a mental handicap and their perceptions of the adequacy of their training

Abstract

A survey was undertaken among a group of dental hygienists to investigate potential barriers to providing dental care to people with mental handicap. Barriers similar to those indicated in studies on dentists were shown to be experienced by hygienists. Concerns were mainly related to perceived problems with communication and lack of understanding of the client group, rather than lack of cooperation of the patient. Degrees of concern in treating handicapped patients were shown to be related to type of handicap. Twenty-five (73.5%) of the hygienists surveyed (n = 34) felt that the training they had received, in relation to preparing them to work with mentally handicapped people, was inadequate; 28 (82%) felt that special training was necessary, over and above general hygienist training. However, most hygienists (73.5%) felt more positive about treating people with mental handicaps after a period of post-qualification work experience.