Special Care Dentistry, which targets those who are seen as the vulnerable ones in a society, has traditionally been perceived as the discipline of compromise, where better than nothing seems to be an acceptable threshold for quality. However, ensuring equitable access to exceptional dental care and outcomes is a fundamental right, irrespective of one's abilities or circumstances. To bridge the gap with the general population, it's essential to adopt evidence-driven adaptations in clinical protocols, resource management, and professional expertise. Systematizing aspects of education, practice, policy, and service delivery can raise standards and provide value-based care. Leveraging successful experiences, technological innovation, and multidisciplinary approaches can drive transformative change, motivating dental professionals, educators, administrators, and policymakers.

This Research Topic aims to establish SCD as a recognized and robust dental discipline. It seeks to gather evidence, successful practices, and innovations that enhance training, streamline care provision, and ensure high-quality outcomes for individuals with disabilities or complex needs, including the frail elderly. We are particularly interested in innovations in curriculum development, digital and automated tools for patient assessment, and pioneering approaches for oral disease prevention and treatment in these populations. This effort underscores the importance of interprofessional collaboration, integrated health systems, and policy frameworks fostering equity and excellence in oral health care.

The Research Topic will focus on advancing SCD systematization. Here, systematization refers to the standardization of educational frameworks, clinical best practices, and health policy guidelines, aiming to elevate care standards and implement value-based practices. Incorporating technological innovations, leveraging successful case studies, and promoting interprofessional collaboration are crucial steps to transforming the discipline, thereby motivating dental professionals, educators, administrators, and policymakers. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Systematic, scoping, and narrative reviews on SCD education, training, competency frameworks, and accreditation standards;
• Original research on innovative diagnostics, digital/AI-based assessment tools, and care pathway optimization;
• Studies evaluating new care delivery models—including automation, tele-dentistry, and integrated service pathways—that enhance access, efficiency, or outcomes for those with complex needs;
• Policy analyses and research focused on the recognition, regulation, and sustainable funding of SCD within health systems;
• Best-practice models, collaborative initiatives, and research that can inform the scaling of effective approaches globally;
• Research on the prevention and management of prevalent oral diseases among people with disabilities, chronic conditions, and the elderly.

We invite a variety of manuscript types, including original research, reviews, brief reports, opinion pieces, case series, and perspectives, particularly those exploring technological progress.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Transforming Special Care Dentistry: Frameworks for Education, Clinical Excellence, and Technological Innovation