Disability and Oral Health: How to make oral care accessible to all

This presentation will review barriers and solutions across a number of disability groups; hearing loss, visual impairment, autism, dysarthria, aphasia and varying levels of dental anxiety. There will also be a focus on developing communication skills when caring for  the elderly population which also takes into consideration attitudes of the dental team when providing  care as this shapes the quality and standard of the oral care provided. Preparing and preplanning, using communication aids where appropriate and gathering all relevant information from patients and/or carers and families in advance will play a key role in providing a good patient experience through effective communication.