# Dental care for patients with down syndrome: A survey for dentists of the college of the balearic islands

## TL;DR

This study surveyed dentists in the Balearic Islands to understand how they provide dental care to patients with Down Syndrome.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into dentists' training and treatment approaches for patients with Down Syndrome in the Balearic Islands.

## Key findings

- Most dentists received undergraduate training, and post-graduate training significantly increased comfort with specific dental treatments.
- A majority believe patients with Down Syndrome should be treated by specialists in special patients.
- Common treatments include sealing, fillings, and extractions, while fewer perform endodontic treatments.

## Abstract

Down Syndrome (DS) presents with systemic, craniofacial and oral alterations accompanied by different levels of intellectual disability and because of this, they frequently require professional dental care. Objective: This work aims to know the dental care patients with DS receive from dentists in the Balearic Islands.

An 11-question survey was carried out via email from the College of Dentists of the Balearic Islands. The researchers conducted the survey based on previous researchs. The first three questions refered the professional´s profile (age, sex and years since graduation) and the restant 8 were focused on the academic training and dental care provided to patients with DS.

129 surveys were collected. 40.45% were between 34-43 years old, 67.84% were women, and 32.16% were men. 33.30% had been in professional practice for between 15-24 years, followed by those with 4-14 years with 27.33% and those with 25-34 years with 24.04%. 81.64% received undergraduate academic training, and 60.72% completed training after graduating. 57.17% believe that patients with DS should be treated by a dentist specialised in special patients, 20.67% by a pediatric dentist, and 18.87% by a general dentist. 63.40% perform sealing, fillings or dental extractions, 60.6% perform oral examination, oral cleaning and give prophylaxis instructions, and 26.72% state that they perform endodontic treatments. Significant differences were found between some of the variables analysed and the age, sex, academic training or professional scenario of the professionals.

Post-graduate training increases the likelihood that dentists will feel comfortable with sealing-filling-extraction treatments by 7.48 times and endodontic treatments by 3.26 times.

Key words:Down Syndrome, Trisomy 21, Surveys and Questionnaires, Dental Care for Children, Oral Health.