Dental hygiene students' preparation for treatment of patients with mental illnesses.

The purpose of this study is to determine the scope of didactic and clinical experiences dental hygiene students received in 1987 in preparation for treating people with mental illnesses. A 22-item survey was mailed to 200 U.S. dental hygiene programs. The response rate was 69 percent. Sixty-one percent of respondents reported that didactic information on mental illnesses was included in their curricula however, 42 percent reported that the amount of time devoted to this subject was not satisfactory. Students from 57 percent of responding programs did not provide oral care to mentally ill patients; and only 17 percent of respondents believed that the dental hygiene needs of the mentally ill were adequately addressed in their communities. Responses from baccalaureate and certificate/associate degree programs were not statistically significantly different.