Dental Care while in Foster Care: Addressing Unmet Needs

The priority of the Protection System is the restoration of children rights, including life and health. It is common for children to present with untreated oral health problems upon admission, which require significant efforts. This case describes a 7-year-old boy who was temporarily housed in a Social Assistance Center in Mexico, and attended his first dental consultation at a School of Dentistry. Regarding his dental history, the patient presented no evidence of prior dental care. Clinically, a mixed dentition was observed, including multiple non-restorable primary molars with unfavorable prognosis. The patient presented a negative and defiant behavior. A comprehensive treatment plan was implemented, including restorations, extractions, and space maintainers. After discharge, the proposed follow-up was every 3 months. The difficulty of caring for children and adolescents temporarily placed in the Protection System is evident. It is important to highlight the work done by the multidisciplinary team to identify cases and address previously unmet needs.