The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc. (DREDF) is conducting an investigation into availability of basic dental care services for people with disabilities. In particular, we are interested in learning from families with children with developmental disabilities as to success or failure in obtaining prophylactic and routine dental care, such as teeth cleaning and cavity filling procedures. Contact is invited as to any type of disability and any insurance or payment arrangement, but we are especially seeking input from:

*California families including children with developmental disabilities (potentially including, but not limited to, cognitive disabilities, mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy)

*California families eligible for Denti-Cal

We request information including:

*your name and contact information [including city and state]
*age of the person seeking dental services
*disability of the person seeking dental services
*does the dentist need to do anything differently to accommodate the person seeking dental services? [tell us about adjustments or other considerations relevant to ensure access, e.g., seating needs, sensory sensitivities, etc.]
*type of dental insurance, if any, you have
*name, city and state of any dental professional(s) involved
*date(s) of your experience(s)
*description of your experience(s), including positive or negative experiences
*any other information you believe is important

If you are interested in sharing your experiences with us, please contact us by telephone, fax or e-mail as follows:

Attn: Dental Care Access
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc. (DREDF)
2212 Sixth Street Berkeley, CA 94710

Tel: 510/644-2555 (V/TDD)
Fax: 510/841-8645
E-mail: hmin@dredf.org