Utilization of dental services by children with autism spectrum conditions: The role of primary health care.

Abstract

Children with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) face many barriers to access dental health services, despite having a greater need for care. The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of dental health services by children with ASC and the individual factors related to the demand for primary care services. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 100 caregivers of children with ASC aged 6-12 years in a city in Brazil. After the descriptive analysis, logistic regression analyses were carried out to estimate the odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals. The caregivers reported that 25% of the children had never been to the dentist and 57% had an appointment over the past 12 months. Seeking primary care for dental treatment and frequent toothbrushing were positively associated with both outcomes and participating in oral health preventive activities decreased the chance of never having been to the dentist. Having male caregivers and activity limitations due to autism decreased the chance of having been to the dentist over the past year. The findings suggest that reorganizing care of children with ASC can contribute to reducing access barriers to dental health services.