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Special Health Care Needs

Dental Needs of Adolescent Patients with SHCN Compared with Dental Needs of Adolescent Patients without SHCN

145 - Identifying Dental Needs of Adolescent Patients with SHCN vs. Healthy Adolescent Patients

Friday, May 23, 2025
2:40 PM - 3:00 PM MDT
Has Audio

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Elizabeth Siso, DDS

    Resident
    University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston
    University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston
    Houston, Texas, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • BA

    Bhavini Acharya, BDS

    Pediatric Dentistry Graduate Program Director
    University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston
    Houston, Texas, United States

  • Brett T. Chiquet, DDS, PhD (he/him/his)

    Professor and Chair, Department of Pediatric and Community Dentistry
    University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine
    University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine
    Buffalo, New York, United States

  • David F. Fray, DDS MBA (he/him/his)

    Professor, Department of General Practice and Dental Public Health
    University of Texas Health Science Center-at Houston
    University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
    Houston, Texas, United States

    • Program Director(s)

  • BA

    Bhavini Acharya, BDS

    Pediatric Dentistry Graduate Program Director
    University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston
    Houston, Texas, United States

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the dental needs of adolescent patients with SHCN and to compare them to the dental needs of adolescent patients without Special Healthcare Needs (SHCN). The objective of this study is to compare the dental needs of these populations to identify how they differ.

Methods:
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Texas Health Science Center of Houston. Pediatric patients between age 12-18 that were seen for exam from 2011-2022 at the UT Graduate Pediatric program were included in the study. Information was gathered from Electronic Patient Record. The following information was collected: demographic information, medical history, dental needs, need for specialty referral, history of dental trauma, and need for advanced behavior guidance techniques.

Results:
Data was collected from 1002 records. Adolescent patients with SHCN had higher DMFT, DMFT ratio, and needed more stainless steel crowns and anterior strip crowns when compared to their healthy counterparts (P=0.0006). Patients with Mental SHCN needed more 2 surface restorations when compared to the control group and other SHCN groups (P <0.001). Patients in the SHCN group and all subgroups needed papoose and treatment under GA more often than the healthy control group (p < 0.0001). Patients with behavioral SHCN experienced dental trauma more often than the healthy control group (p=0.007). Patients in the SHCN group and SHCN subgroups needed anterior endodontic treatment more often than patients in the control group (p=0.02). Patients in the control group needed advanced orthodontic treatment more often than patients in the special SHCN group and all SHCN subgroups (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:
Patients with SHCN have higher DMFT, more extensive restorative needs, more often need specialty dental care, and need advanced behavior guidance (papoose and treatment under GA) when compared to their healthy counterparts.