Dental education and special-needs patients: challenges and opportunities.

Pediatric dentists have, by tradition and default, provided care for persons with special health care needs (PSHCN), regardless of age. Deinstitutionalization of PSHCN in the 1960s, however, overwhelmed the dental care system, and oral health care became one of the greatest unmet needs of this population. This presentation follows the history of training for dentists in this aspect of care, from the first demonstration programs in the 1970s to the current educational programs in U.S. dental schools. Today's dental students must be competent in assessing the treatment needs of PSHCN, but accreditation standards do not require competency in the treatment of this group of patients. Recommendations to rectify this include revising dental school curricula to be more patient-centered, improving technology in schools, earlier clinical experiences for dental students, and the use of community-based clinics.