{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,27]],"date-time":"2026-10-27T01:36:12Z","timestamp":1793064972596,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]],"date-time":"2025-07-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1752710400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often face access to care barriers due to limited provider training, inadequate appointment availability, transportation barriers, financial limitations, and insufficient interdisciplinary collaboration. As a result, this group is particularly vulnerable to oral health issues, experiencing higher rates of periodontal disease and dental caries compared to those without disabilities. Survey data from both dentists and caregivers highlights these obstacles, revealing that a significant proportion of providers do not treat individuals with cognitive disabilities, and patients with IDD often seek care on an emergency basis. This study explores whether a specialized model of dental care\u2014featuring longer appointment times, desensitization techniques, accessible dental furniture, and an interdisciplinary, collaborative team of providers trained to work with individuals with disabilities\u2014can improve dental and overall health outcomes.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>A total of 50 participants aged 18\u202fyears or older with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) diagnosis were recruited from a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Participants were identified by a physician specializing in IDD. Participants who consented were provided with an iPad to complete a 20-min electronic REDCap survey assessing their experiences at Mile Square Health Center, prior dental visits, and barriers to care.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Longer appointment times, accessible dental furniture, and providers with training in treating patients with IDD appeared to significantly improve the patient experience.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title><jats:p>The findings suggest that longer appointment times, a non-coercive approach, and improved referral and transportation pathways can positively enhance both treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction. This study also emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in developing referral pathways and integration of dental care within the broader healthcare services for individuals with IDD as a model care delivery system.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2025.1619845","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]],"date-time":"2025-07-17T05:24:53Z","timestamp":1752729893000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Interdisciplinary oral and primary health care for patients with disabilities"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Sodabeh","family":"Etminan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elsa","family":"Hammerdahl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Linda","family":"Lesondak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nicole","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Manav","family":"Patel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Matthew","family":"Mischler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mary","family":"Keehn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kristi","family":"Kirschner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"379","DOI":"10.1111\/jar.12415","article-title":"Factors affecting access to daily oral and dental care among adults with intellectual disabilities","volume":"31","author":"Chadwick","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Appl Res Intellect Disabil"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1530","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-019-7863-1","article-title":"Countering the poor oral health of people with intellectual and developmental disability: a scoping literature review","volume":"19","author":"Wilson","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"363","DOI":"10.1111\/eos.12150","article-title":"Impact of dental treatment under general anesthesia on the oral health-related quality of life of adolescents and adults with special needs","volume":"122","author":"Chang","year":"2014","journal-title":"Eur J Oral Sci"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1111\/scd.12734","article-title":"Qualitative inquiry from multiple perspectives of barriers and facilitators of oral health care for adults with disabilities","volume":"43","author":"Chavis","year":"2023","journal-title":"Spec Care Dentist"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.1922\/CDH_00173Asiri09","article-title":"Barriers to oral health care for persons with disabilities: an overview of systematic reviews","volume":"41","author":"Asiri","year":"2024","journal-title":"Community Dent Health"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e122","DOI":"10.5001\/omj.2020.40","article-title":"Implications of language barriers for healthcare: a systematic review","volume":"35","author":"Al Shamsi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Oman Med J"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"291","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.bdj.2010.294","article-title":"BDA special care case mix model","volume":"208","author":"Bateman","year":"2010","journal-title":"Br Dent J"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.3390\/dj13010031","article-title":"An overview of dentist\u2013patient communication in quality dental care","volume":"13","author":"Ho","year":"2025","journal-title":"Dent J (Basel)"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1556","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18041556","article-title":"Access to dental care\u2014a survey from dentists, people with disabilities and caregivers","volume":"18","author":"D\u2019Addazio","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"232","DOI":"10.4103\/tcmj.tcmj_101_18","article-title":"Special care dentistry in a charity clinic: demographic analysis and barriers to care in Singapore","volume":"31","author":"Lim","year":"2019","journal-title":"Tzu Chi Med J"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"221","DOI":"10.1111\/scd.12115","article-title":"They stole her teeth! 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