장애인 구강보건의료서비스 현황과 구강보건정책 제안

Abstract

We reviewed the current oral health status, the use of dental health services, and the factors that impede access to dental care for disabled people in South Korea and aimed to suggest the future direction of the dental community for establishing the right to oral health for the disabled people. Disabled people experienced more and faster teeth loss than non-disabled people due to the lack of proper oral hygiene management. The rate of not receiving proper dental prosthodontic treatment for the lost teeth in disabled people was higher than in non-disabled people. Economic factors, patient cooperation, and communication issues were the most important constraints on dental accessibility for the disabled. Many people with disabilities used dental clinics nearby, and some severely disabled people used special dental clinics for the disabled even if they were far. The current dental policy for the disabled people was limited to the provision of dental treatment on the oral care center for the disabled and reduction of the treatment fee. It would be a much more economical and efficient way to supply the prevention-oriented oral health management rather than to provide dental treatment such as prosthetic fabrication, which requires long time and high cost. It is necessary to educate dentists, dental hygienists, and dental students in order to strengthen the competency for the special care dentistry. The whole dental community and the government should make an effort together to establish for the equal right to oral health of the people with disability.