Perception of Special Needs Dentistry Amongst Allied Dental Professionals in Australia

OBJECTIVE: In Australia, Dental Therapists (DTs), Dental Hygienists (DHs) and Oral Health Therapists (OHTs) encounter Special Needs (SN) patients in their clinical practice. This study investigates their perception, training, working experience and referral patterns within Special Needs Dentistry (SND). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Paper-based questionnaire was distributed to a systematically selected sample of 1000 registered DHs, DTs and OHTs who were members of professional bodies in Australia. Respondents were included irrespective of age, gender, length of working experience and country of graduation. Data analysis consisted of Chi-squared regression analysis (p < 0.05) using IBM SPSS Windows Version 29.0 (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia). RESULTS: A response rate of 49.8% (215 DTs, 107 DHs and 163 OHTs) was obtained. A significantly larger proportion of OHTs (59.5%) was aware of SND as a specialty compared to DHs (45%) and DTs (41.9%) (p < 0.05) and hence OHTs referred to SND specialists more often than other groups. In addition, 73.6% of OHTs, 63.6% of DHs and 40% of DTs had both didactic and clinical training in SND (p < 0.05). All the categories stated lack of training and continuing professional development (CPD) in SND as the main reasons for not treating SN patients. They therefore expressed interest in attending related CPD training (OHTs: 90.2%, DHs: 88.8% and DTs: 88.3%). CONCLUSIONS: OHTs demonstrated greater awareness, training, working experience and referral in SND than DHs and DTs; however, training gaps across all groups highlight the need for strengthened undergraduate education and accessible CPD in SND. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Understanding the perception of allied dental professionals regarding SND is crucial for improving access to and the quality of care for patients with special needs. Prior research has highlighted gaps in training and confidence levels amongst general practitioners; however, little is known about the perspectives of allied professionals. This study provides valuable insights into their awareness, perceived roles and educational needs, emphasizing the importance of inclusive team-based care.