Overview
This module explores dental care for those with special healthcare needs living in rural communities. The module will review various common special healthcare conditions and adaptations to help facilitate care for patients with special healthcare needs. This module will also explore decisional capacity and various types of situations (guardianship, medical proxy, etc) that may be employed when a patient lacks decisional capacity.
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, learners will be able to:
- Recognize significant medical and social conditions and their impact on dental care in rural areas.
- Identify the difference between guardianship, medical proxy and power of attorney.
- Learn to assess decisional capacity.
- Gain confidence in providing care in rural settings and managing patients with special healthcare needs
- Identify room and appointment adaptations to help facilitate care.
Module Author
Susan Somerset DMD, PharmD, MS
University of Colorado, School of Dental Medicine
Susan Somerset is the course director for Adults with Special Health Care Needs, co-director for Treatment of the Medically Complex Dental Patient, and co-director for the Senior & Special Care Dental Clinic. She completed her DMD at Temple University and holds a certificate from the Christiana Care Medical Center for her General Practice Residency. Dr. Somerset obtained a MS from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine where she worked with patients with Multiple Sclerosis on a grant from the Department of Defense. She also holds a BS and a PharmD degree from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. She works with the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention.
She has worked in multiple hospitals and in drug information and global safety for pharmaceutical industry. Her experience in dentistry includes working in private practice, FQHCs and hospital dentistry. She has been caring for patients with special healthcare needs and the medically complex for over 14 years and has experience treating patients from 2 years old to 86 years young in an operating room setting. She lectures nationally on topics of pharmacology and special care dentistry and has a consultant appointment with the US Navy Department of Periodontology.