Abstract

SALAZAR  , CR¹; PADRON, Milena²  and  SALAZAR, Juan Luís³. Actitud del odontólogo hacia Los niños y adolescentes discapacitados. Acta odontol. venez [online]. 2005, vol.43, n.3, pp.240-251. ISSN 0001-6365.

Summary It was defined as purpose in this investigation the study of the attitude towards disabled children and adolescent in a probabilistic sample of 60 dentists, distributed proportionally in public, private and semi private dental office of the Maracaibo County, Zulia State, Venezuela. To achieve this purpose a Likert type scale was elaborated, auto-administered, integrated by 24 item with statements referred to: attitude toward the disabled and disabled children’s and adolescent dental treatment. After the item were defined it was determined the reliability and validation of the scale. Later on the definitive instrument was elaborated and the gathering of the data was proceeded, revision, tabulation and prosecution of them. The answers for each item are represented in charts and graphics and it is also specified those in which  the test λ2 reported association with such variables as: age, years of dental practice, type of dental office and sex of the interviewees; pointing out that a favorable attitude exists in the professionals interviewees toward the acceptance of the disabled, its dental treatment and the possibilities of an appropriate dental health. Nevertheless it is necessary that the state, the educational institutions and professional unions, promote the information and the teaching of dental problems of this human group with the purpose of creating awareness in students, dental team and to the entire population regarding their dental needs and to give them an accurate answer to improve their quality of life and to make them participant of the economic, social and cultural dynamics of their communities

Keywords : Disabled Children and Adolescent; Dentist’s Attitude; Disability; Opportunity of Appropriate Dental Health; Dental Treatment.