EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES TAILORED TO VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN DENTISTRY: LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Visual impairment is characterized by the total or partial loss of visual capacity in one or both eyes. The development of adapted educational tools becomes fundamental for dental care for the visually impaired. Aim: It was to identify practices that are developed for visually impaired people in Dentistry. Methodology: This is a literature review, with a systematic search in the databases: PubMed, Virtual Health Library and Google Scholar, using the descriptors visually impaired, visually impaired, dentistry and oral health education. The inclusion criteria were: qualitative studies, surveys, mixed studies and experience reports, which address practices developed in Dentistry to increase knowledge and understanding of visually impaired people regarding dental aspects. Results: The search resulted in 1047 studies and after checking the eligibility criteria, 8 articles were included. The practices identified were: educational interventions, educational games and adapted oral hygiene instructions. Conclusion: It is concluded that the results found in the study show that the implementation of activities that use adapted resources, specific teaching materials and the exploration of senses, mainly tactile and auditory, are effective tools for improving access to healthcare and providing motivation and encouraging self-care, stimulate autonomy and enable the dissemination of information about oral health, as important strategies for the prevention and promotion of oral health in this population.