Dental programs for the handicapped: current trends.

In summary, dental care for the handicapped population will continue to improve and become more available as more individuals from all levels of society become more actively involved. Dental schools will need to change both undergraduate and postgraduate curricula to include thorough coverage of those topics which provide better understanding of the etiology, management, prevention, and social issues involved in the acceptance of handicapped patients in private professional offices. The role of the dentist on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams will continue to expand as the dentist accepts the challenge of quality care for the handicapped community.