Limitations and future challenges of dental care support policies for persons with disabilities: A stakeholder perception survey for sustainable access to dental healthcare

Purpose: This study examined stakeholder perceptions of dental care support policies for persons with disabilities in Korea to assess policy effectiveness and to derive directions for a sustainable oral healthcare system.Materials and Methods: A structured online survey was administered to two groups: dental professionals (providers) and persons with disabilities and related persons (users). After excluding incomplete responses, 210 providers and 60 users were analyzed. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were computed for both groups.Results: Both groups strongly agreed on the necessity of the special-care dental centers (97.1% vs 95.0%), the dental home-doctor pilot program (93.4% vs 90.0%), and the insurance add-on fee system (96.2% vs 98.3%). Among providers, policy knowledge tended to increase with clinical experience and patient volume (difference up to 18.8%p). Providers prioritized workforce and facility shortages, whereas users prioritized facility shortages and difficulty in transportation and access.Conclusion: Although consensus on the necessity of these policies is well established, substantial gaps remain in actual accessibility and perceived benefit. Based on these findings, it is hoped that more efficient and sustainable policies will be established and implemented, centered on organizations that can incorporate the voices of stakeholders.