SPECIAL CARE DENTISTRY

Special Care Dentistry (SCD) service delivers dental services/oral healthcare to persons with disability/ies from mild to severe, aged 16 and above including the elderly/geriatric patients who are dependent on others for their activities of daily living (ADL).

The SCD services are provided at the hospital-based setting including rehabilitation hospitals such as Hospital Rehabilitasi Cheras (HRC) as they conduct procedures involving General Anaesthesia which requires special facility setup. SCD patients are referred from other dental specialties as well as primary care for advanced needs. Apart from that, the referrals are also received from other medical disciplines such as Geriatric, Rehabilitative, Palliative Medicine, Oncology and Radiology, Psychiatric etc. Patients with severe dental anxiety are also referred to this service for further management. SCD is also the main provider in secondary care for domiciliary oral health care service (at home or institution) in the country together with the dental primary care services for patients who are unable to access the dental care facilities. 

The SCD provides the following services which include:

Dental management may be done with behavioural guidance, conscious sedation (oral/ inhalation/ intravenous/ intranasal sedation) and general anaesthesia. In addition, clinical supports in management of patients with special needs seen at the primary care dental settings or during the community service are also provided by this the SCD.