This session focused on equity and disparities in oral healthcare for individuals with special health care needs (ISHCN). Dr. Simonne Salazar Ferraris, D.M.D., Ph.D., explained the challenges faced by people with various disabilities, including physical, intellectual, behavioral, and sensory impairments. She highlighted a range of specialized interventions and programs developed to address these challenges, such as modified toothbrushes, educational videos, and braille materials. Caregivers and healthcare providers also face difficulties, including time constraints, emotional stress, and limited training. Traditional approaches in dentistry often fall short in addressing these problems, paving the way for digital dentistry as a potential solution to enhance equity and access to oral healthcare for ISHCN.
Dr. Ferraris discussed improving the quality of life for special needs patients through maxillofacial prosthetics and digital dentistry. She emphasized how advanced digital dental technologies are revolutionizing maxillofacial prosthetics, with a focus on postoperative patients and those requiring special care. Her lecture aimed to highlight both the clinical advances and psychosocial impacts of modern prosthetic treatments. She expressed her gratitude to the organizing committee and encouraged participants to engage in meaningful discussion during her session.
Her lecture explored digital dentistry and maxillofacial prosthetics for special needs populations, covering both traditional and digital workflows for fabricating prostheses. She underlined the advantages of digital methods, including enhanced accuracy, reproducibility, and the ability to overcome geographical barriers. Dr. Ferraris also presented a case study of a 20-year-old female patient who received both a conventional obturator and a 3D-printed version following partial maxillectomy. She stressed the importance of restoring oral functions such as speech, chewing, and swallowing, noting that prosthetics can significantly improve patients’ quality of life by addressing these essential functions.
Author: Andri Wicaksono | Photo: Doc. IDSC 2025 Committee
