Waiting times before dental care under general anesthesia in children with special needs in the Children's Hospital of Casablanca

INTRODUCTION: Oral diseases may have an impact on quality of children's life. The presence of severe disability requires the use of care under general anesthesia (GA). However, because of the limited number of qualified health personnel, waiting time before intervention can be long. Aim: To evaluate the waiting time before dental care under general anesthesia for children with special needs in Morocco. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was carried out in pediatric dentistry unit of the University Hospital of Casablanca. Data were collected from records of patients seen for the first time between 2006 and 2011. The waiting time was defined as the time between the date of the first consultation and intervention date. RESULTS: 127 children received dental care under general anesthesia, 57.5% were male and the average age was 9.2 (SD = 3.4). Decay was the most frequent reason for consultation (48%), followed by pain (32%). The average waiting time was 7.6 months (SD = 4.2 months). The average number of acts performed per patient was 13.5. CONCLUSION: Waiting times were long, it is necessary to take measures to reduce delays and improve access to oral health care for this special population.