Expert Panel Convening on the Oral Health and Dental Care of Children with Special Health Care Needs

Oral health is essential to children’s overall well-being. Poor oral health is associated with physical health problems, negative impacts on school attendance and academic performance, and poorer mental health. Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) face barriers to accessing high-quality dental care and experience greater unmet dental care needs and oral health problems than those without special health care needs. 

NORC at the University of Chicago conducted a comprehensive, national study to better understand the oral health needs and dental care experiences of CSHCN, including children with complex medical conditions, and compared these experiences to those of children without special health care needs. NORC’s mixed methods approach included convening a virtual panel of experts to solicit insights, discuss challenges, and identify potential policy solutions. The expert panel included child health and dental care researchers, clinicians, policy and public health officials, advocates, and parents of children with special health care needs. The brief outlines key takeaways on the topics of accessibility and accommodations, provider education and training, dental insurance coverage policies, oral health care at home, innovative models and approaches, and future research needs.