British Society for Disability and Oral Health (BSDH) developing guidance for special care in dentistry

Sample News Big

The British Society for Disability and Oral Health (BSDH), published guidance in January 2000 about oral care for people with mental health challenges. In June 2009, their working group published revised guidelines for clinical holding skills for dental services for people unable to comply with routine oral health care. The update builds on a framework of good practice for physical interventions and non-physical preventative measures to deliver safe and effective treatment to people with disabilities.

Besides discussing restrictive measures for dental patients displaying challenging behaviour, the framework also addresses “capacity to consent” and “communication and support plans.” As part of revising guidance for special care in dentistry, the BSDH are meeting from 25 to 28 August 2010 at the IADH 20th Congress International Convention in Belgium. Dental professionals interested in the event or attending can obtain information via the BSDH website.

With BSDH guidance for special care in dentistry and the new UK government initiatives to pilot NHS Psychological Therapies, practitioners within the dentistry industry will have more resources in treating patients with a range of mental health conditions. Such resources and skill building falls under the umbrella of behavioural dentistry that aims to develop a clinician’s appreciation of human behaviour as it affects efficient dental treatment.

Join this Discussion

Comments are closed.