Preliminary Results of an Interdisciplinary Behavioral Program to Improve Access to Preventative Dental Care for Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

• Published in: Intellectual and developmental disabilities Vol. 60; no. 6; pp. 504 - 519
• Main Authors: Berens, John C, Tsami, Loukia, Lerman, Dorothea C, Matteucci, Marissa, Fray, David F, Warner, Ben F, Keehan, Laura A, Staggers, Kristen A, Peacock, Cynthia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Association of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities 01.12.2022
• Subjects: Adult; Airway management; Anxiety; Behavior modification; Behavior Patterns; Child; Compliance; Cooperation; COVID-19; Dental Care; Dental Health; Dentists; Desensitization (Psychology); Developmental disabilities; Developmental Disabilities - therapy; General anesthesia; Humans; Intellectual disabilities; Intellectual Disability; Interdisciplinary aspects; Intervention; Language Skills; Oral hygiene; Pandemics; Quality of life; Task analysis; United States > US; adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities; graduated exposure; oral health; dental exam; behavior therapy
• ISSN: 1934-9491; 1934-9556
• DOI: 10.1352/1934-9556-60.6.504

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (AIDD) experience significant oral health disparities, partially due to perceived behavioral issues. This article describes the preliminary outcomes of a developing interdisciplinary (dental, medical, behavioral) program involving a behavioral intervention for AIDD previously receiving preventative dental care with sedation, general anesthesia, or protective stabilization (SAS). After a baseline assessment, a board-certified behavior analyst implemented increasingly complex behavioral interventions during simulated dental visits. Prior to COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions, there were 32 active participants; 15 (46.9%) successfully completed a focused, real dental exam with simple behavioral interventions and 17 (53.1%) remain in treatment. These preliminary results suggest that many AIDD previously receiving SAS may participate in a preventative dental exam with minimal behavioral supports, if given the opportunity.