How Are Patient Perspectives of Oral Health Reflected in the International Classification of Functioning?

AIMS: This study aimed to link patients' experience of oral health to the International Classification of Functioning. Data were analyzed from a previous qualitative study exploring experience and perception of the mouth, oral health, functioning, and the social environment among adults with disabilities and complex health conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighteen participants took part in 17 semi-structured interviews that were transcribed verbatim. All meaningful concepts were identified in the transcripts and these were linked to ICF items using established rules. Overall, 116 ICF items were cited in at least three interviews, of which 39 from the Body functions domain, 11 from the Body structures domain, 49 from the Activities and Participation domain, and 17 from the Environmental factors domain. CONCLUSIONS: The patient perspective of oral health reinforces the imperative of social function as the main rehabilitation goal in Special Care Dentistry rather than just the elimination of disease. The data provided by this study is also an important step forward for the development of an ICF Core Set for Oral Health.