Abstract
Because developmentally disabled individuals, in general, have poorer dental health than other populations and because developmentally disabled individuals face more situations which contribute to dental pathology, it is important to understand their special dental needs. A dental program developed for persons with developmental disabilities in rural Northern California has proven to be modestly successful to date. The present study was undertaken to ascertain whether similar unmet dental needs characterized the developmentally disabled population in urban Southern California. For this study, 730 families with a developmentally disabled individual residing in Orange County were surveyed using a 10-item questionnaire. The results of the survey suggest a need for increased preventative dental care for persons with developmental disabilities. The results also suggest that if dental services were made more available, any increases in services would be completely utilized. It appears that the Northern California dental program, designed to serve developmentally disabled persons in a rural area, would also benefit developmentally disabled persons in an urban area of the state.
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