The accessibility of dental treatment to adults with physical disabilities in northeast England.

The study was carried out to gain information about the availability and the accessibility of dental services to adults with physical disabilities in Gateshead, an industrial town with a population of 199,588 situated in northeast England. Questionnaires were sent to all general dental practices to ascertain the dental staff's perceptions of the accessibility of their premises, their willingness to treat people with disabilities, and the types of treatment offered. The main problem for access was caused by stairs and other physical barriers within buildings. Lack of portable equipment limited the scope of domiciliary treatment offered.