Transitioning from Pediatric to Adult Dental Care for Adolescents with Special Health Care Needs: Dentist Perspectives--Part Two.

The purpose of this study was to understand dental care transitions for adolescents with special health care needs (ASHCNs) from the dentist perspective.We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 dentists (seven pediatric dentists and six general dentists) to learn about the dental transition process for ASHCNs.Most dentists believed transitions from child-centered to adult-centered dental care were important for ASHCNs. Dentists reported two main barriers to transitions: (1) low dental reimbursements by Medicaid; and (2) a shortage of general dentists qualified or willing to treat ASHCNs. Pediatric and general dentists reported playing complimentary roles in facilitating transitions for ASHCNs and their families.Dentists acknowledged the challenges that adolescents with special health care needs and their families face in transitioning to adult-centered care and believed in the importance of ASHCNs maintaining a dental home. Pediatric dentists and general dentists play a key role in working together to implement dental transition plans for ASHCNs and to ensure successful dental transitions.