While many populations are able routinely to access preventive and therapeutic oral healthcare in traditional dental practice settings, a disproportionate number of underserved and vulnerable populations cannot. Unfortunately, the huge technological and scientific advances that have progressed recently to address many dental conditions are not uniformly available to all populations. Underserved and vulnerable populations face persistent and systemic barriers to accessing oral healthcare.[1] These barriers are numerous and complex and include, among others, social, cultural, economic, structural and geographic factors.
It is necessary to understand who comes under vulnerable population. They are Transgenders, Physically handicapped patients, Mentally retarded patients, Patients with major chronic diseases(HIV), Children with Down Syndrome etc. They are afraid of taking any kind of treatment due to multiple reasons(Culture, Ethnicity).In India, transgenders are one of those neglected special vulnerable groups where special attention is required to improve the overall oral health scenario of the country.[2] Treatment of transgenders on a timely basis is one of the important factors to boost the oral health scene across the country. [3]The data available on the oral health status of this vulnerable population is scarce, Hence it is necessary to make more and more approaches to provide dental treatments.
References:-
1.Waisel DB. Vulnerable populations in healthcare. Curr Opin Anaesthesiology 2013 26: 186– 192.
2. Torwane NA, Hongal S, Saxena E, Rana PT, Jain S, Gouraha A. Assessment of periodontal status among eunuchs residing in Bhopal city, Madhya Pradesh, India: a cross-sectional study. Oral Health Dent Manag. 2014 Sep;13(3):628-33.
3.Hongal S, Torwane N, Chandrashekhar B, Saxena V, Chavan K. An evaluation of dental prosthetic status and prosthetic needs among eunuchs (trans genders) residing in Bhopal city, Madhya Pradesh, India: a cross-sectional study. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2014 Nov;4(6):943-8.
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