The Perception of Special Needs Dentistry amongst General Dentists within Western Australia, Australia

Abstract

Special Needs Dentistry has recently been recognised as a dental specialty in Australia. In states other than Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, this patient cohort would predominately be managed by the general dentist, making a study into aspects of their perception with this patient group pertinent in other States of Australia. This is further reinforced by the fact that there are no registered Special Needs specialists in Western Australia. This study aims to investigate the perception of Special Needs Dentistry amongst general dental practitioners in Western Australia. Materials and methods: A postal questionnaire was distributed to 1000 dentists practicing in Western Austral..