276 - Barriers to Care for the Lowe Syndrome Community

Aims: This study aimed to assess dentists’ experience in treating individuals with Lowe syndrome (LS), reasons they would not be able to provide dental care for individuals with LS, and perceptions of the need for educational materials tailored to the LS community about the dental setting.

Methods: A link to an electronic Qualtrics survey on the aforementioned topics was emailed to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine’s Alumni Network listserv.

Results: Data from 73 subjects were analyzed. Of the 57 who responded to an item about having treated a patient with LS, three (5%) answered positively. Of the 61 who responded to an item about why they might not be able to treat an individual with LS, the most common reasons were lack of experience treating children with special needs and not accepting medical assistance such as Medicaid/Medicare (both 31%). Of the 58 who responded to an item asking their level of agreement that more educational materials are needed to help patients with LS in the dental setting, 47 (81%) agreed or strongly agreed.

Conclusion: Substantial barriers to dental care exist for individuals with LS. Educational materials about the dental setting should be developed for the LS community.

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