Enhancing Oral Health for those with Disabilities

University of Alabama at Birmingham School Of Dentistry

and

United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham

LINCPoint Dental Services Project

The LINCPoint Dental Services and the UAB School of Dentistry Dental Education projects exist to improve access to dental care throughout the state for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Access to dental care is significant issue that impacts children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Oral health data from children and adults with developmental disabilities shows they often have:

·         More dental disease

·         More missing teeth

·         More difficulty obtaining dental care

·         Significantly higher rates of poor oral hygiene

·         Increased need for periodontal (gum disease) treatment

Some identified barriers to dental service access in local communities are:

·         Knowledge and attitudes of general dentists in their community in serving persons with disabilities

·         Pace of private dental practices

·         Dental staff’s limited experience with persons with developmental disabilities

·         Reimbursement issues

·         Complete lack of dentists in many rural areas of Alabama

These projects were awarded funding over three years from the Alabama Council for Developmental Disabilities. The UAB School of Dentistry will provide training to dental students, dentists and dental professional throughout Alabama on the best practice in dental care for individuals with developmental disabilities.  This website is being developed to provide a single source of information on dental resources easily utilized by parents, caregivers, and teachers. The funds will also be used to employ a dentist and dental staff at the Health and Wellness Center at United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham.  The project will also be trying to expand dental services at United Cerebral Palsy through a voluntary dental clinic as often as possible. The project staff and its advisory board will work to improve access through advocacy and policy work to impact barriers in policy and attitudes.

This project will also work with our partners to expand this model to other parts of the state. Through statewide expansion of this project we hope children and adults can soon see a dentist of their choice in their community.

The outcomes for this project are expected to be the following:

·         Better access to dental care for children and adults with developmental disabilities

·         A replicable model for outreach and building dental services throughout the state

·         A model training program for parents, caregivers and teachers on daily dental care

·         To link families and consumers to resources to improve daily oral care

·         To engage individuals and groups to advocate for improved dental services

 If you want more information on this project please contact:

Nicole Shevin

Clicnical Services Coordinator 

205-944-3903

Beth Johns, OTR/L, MPH

Dental Education and Demonstration Project Administrator

205-943-5207