Resolved, that ASDA Policy H-‐5 Special Needs Dentistry, be amended to reflect support for patients with ND/ID to be considered a Medically Underserved Population.

The American Student Dental Association supports appropriate initiatives and legislation to improve and foster the oral health of persons with special needs. This includes the association’s support of federal legislation to designate people with Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities as a Medically Underserved Population. The Association encourages constituent and component dental societies to support state and local initiatives and legislation to improve the oral health of persons with special needs. The American Student Dental Association encourages dental and allied dental programs to educate students about the oral health needs and issues of people with special needs.

References
ASDA. (2010). ASDA Ethics Code. Retrieved from https://www.asdanet.org/_AboutPage.aspx?id=5810
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – HRSA. (1995). Medically Underserved Areas/Populations. Retrieved from http://www.hrsa.gov/shortage/mua/index.html
Ackerman, M. (2013). People with intellectual disabilities must be designated a medically underserved population. Special Care in Dentistry, 33(5), 207.
Inclusion International. (2006). Hear our voices: A global report people with an intellectual disability and their families speak out on poverty and exclusion. Retrieved from http://hpod.org/pdf/HearOurVoices.pdf
Boyle, C., Boulet, S., Schieve, L., Cohen, R., Blumberg, S., Yeargin-­‐Allsopp, M., Visser, S., Kogan, M. (2011). Trends in the prevalence of developmental disabilities in US children, 1997-­‐2008. Pediatrics 127(6), 1034-­‐42.
Centers for Disease Control. (2011). Developmental disabilities increasing in US. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsdev_disabilities/