Abstract
The term “special needs children” usually implies children who present with obvious developmental delay or who require assistance for disabilities that may be physical, mental, or psychological.However, considering the amount of assistance or effort that is necessary for completing dental treatment, it should be noted that not only the “disabled” or “sick” children but also “mistreated” children require special care. The demand of special care may be estimated by the degree of mistreatment(such as abuse) as well as the severity of disability.Based on the topics discussed in the lecture at the 48th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry in 2010, this review summarizes 1) points to keep in mind while providing dental care for special needs children, and 2) the importance of partnerships with anesthesiologists, pediatricians, and therapists concerned with conductive education for disabled children.
