Dental services for children with autism spectrum disorder
Intended for healthcare professionals
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Dental services for children with autism spectrum disorder

Jeremy Brown Reader in health research, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk
Judith Brown Speech and language therapist, Belle Vue House Assessment Centre (Witherslack Group), Ormskirk
Jane Woodburn Occupational therapist, Belle Vue House Assessment Centre (Witherslack Group), Ormskirk

Jeremy Brown and colleagues describe a pilot study to assess how parents perceive good practice and barriers to care

Aim To identify what parents perceive to be good practice in the care of children with autism in dental settings and to highlight difficulties in accessing dental services.

Method An online questionnaire survey with open and closed questions followed by a series of in-depth semi-structured interviews. Mixed-method quantitative and thematic analyses were performed.

Results Of 19 participants, 13 reported that they had been able to access dental services but 12 experienced difficulties related to their children’s condition when visiting the dentist.

Conclusion The approach and communication skills of dental staff, and their willingness and ability to adapt their practices for children with autism, are all important.

Learning Disability Practice. 17, 3, 20-25. doi: 10.7748/ldp2014.03.17.3.20.e1527

Correspondence

jeremy.brown@edgehill.ac.uk

Peer review

This article has been subject to double blind peer review

Conflict of interest

None declared

Received: 03 December 2013

Accepted: 17 January 2014

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