U.S. emergency department admissions for nontraumatic dental conditions for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Koegel et al. (2014) looked at U.S. emergency room records. They wanted to know how often people with intellectual or developmental disabilities visit the ER for tooth pain that is not caused by an injury.

They split the group into kids and adults. Then they compared the odds of an ER visit between people with and without IDD.

Kids with IDD had the same chance of going to the ER for a tooth problem as other kids.

Adults with IDD were less likely to show up in the ER for dental pain than adults without IDD.

Nakao et al. (2015) ran almost the same study but focused on autism. They saw the same pattern: kids matched the general rate, adults came less often. This backs up the idea that the drop is tied to developmental disability, not just ID.

Kancherla et al. (2013) looked at regular dental visits and found young adults with ID went to the dentist less. At first glance that seems to clash with L et al.—why would ER use drop if dental visits also drop? Heald et al. (2020) solved the puzzle: adults with ID actually schedule more check-ups than peers, yet they still get fewer fillings. The lower ER rate is not from neglect; it is from different care choices.

Mammarella et al. (2022) showed one way to boost access: brief practice sessions in a fake dental office let nearly half of adults who used to need sedation get a real exam without it.

Lower ER odds do not mean healthier teeth. Adults with IDD may endure pain at home or have care delayed. You can help by adding a quick dental-pain question to your intake or support plan. If a client resists the clinic, try a simulated visit first—C et al. proved it works. Share that script with the dentist and track if ER trips stay low after routine care begins.