Advantages of Having a Family Dentist for Disabled Persons Living in Communities
2016 Volume 37 Issue 2 Pages 180-185
Details
2016 Volume 37 Issue 2 Pages 180-185
The research aim：To improve the quality of life （QOL） for disabled persons, health care centers in Hyogo Prefecture offer systematic personal assistance for their dental health supported by the local dental association （the Program for Dental Health Service：PDHS）. In this study, we examined the dental health conditions for those who had received the PDHS and their attitude in daily dental care to evaluate how PDHS affected the QOL of disabled persons.
Methods：We extensively reviewed the data on the dental conditions of all persons in the PDHS. We compared the persons who have a family dentist with those who have no family dentist. The χ2 test and logistic regression analysis of the data were used for the analyses.
Results：The results of 88 persons revealed significant improvements in dental health in recipients of the PDHS. In comparison with non-recipients, recipients were less vulnerable to dental caries （p＜0.01, odds ratio 0.72, 95％CI 0.58－0.90）.
Conclusion：It is an urgent issue to promote the PDHS for further improvement of the QOL of disabled persons. We encourage disabled persons to actively participate in the PDHS or similar available programs.
