Parents' perception of access to dental care for children with handicapping conditions.

Access to dentistry for people with handicapping conditions may be influenced by attitudes within the dental team, financial considerations, self-image problems, medical conditions, or physical access. This paper reports on a survey of the parents or guardians of children with handicapping conditions regarding perceptions of possible problems in obtaining dental care. Almost half of the respondents to this survey reported having problems in obtaining dental treatment for their child or in accessing the building. Respondents with problems in obtaining dental care were more likely to have longer periods between dental treatment visits, have had an extraction at their last dental visit, be treated at a hospital, be treated with sedative agents, not have insurance, report their child's dental problems were more severe than other problems, and have terminated their education at an earlier age.