The Role of Hospital-Based Dentistry in Providing Treatment for Persons with Developmental Delay

Hospital dentistry is important to the delivery of oral health care to persons with disabilities. Recent cuts in funding for hospital dentistry in Ontario have placed a great strain on the health care system's ability to meet the demand for such care. General anesthesia is an accepted treatment option for patients who are uncooperative, but involves inherent risks. In this paper, we present the case of a person with developmental delay who received dental treatment under general anesthesia and subsequently developed complications to support the position that a dental program for persons with special needs should be provided in a hospital setting to minimize their risk of suffering serious complications and to ensure their safety.