5
Executive Summary
The aims of this research were to:
Investigate,
using a postal survey, the oral health and dental service use of adults with
learning disabilities in Sheffield
E
xplore
the
experiences and perceptions of dental services
of people with learning
disabilities
in the Sheffield
area
The aims were achieved by
r
epresent
ing
the voices of people with learning disabilities through
different research approaches
.
Adults with learning disabilities are now more frequent consumers of healthcare, and
because of
technological advancements in modern medicine coupled with
improved living and nutrition are
living longer. With a change in policy, fewer people with learning disabilities now live in
institutions and instead are housed in the community in a variety of ways; from small group homes
to sharing with a friend or part
ner, to living alone with a minimum of support.