Pediatric dentists often treat patients who present special challenges related to their age, medical status, developmental disabilities, intellectual limitations, or special needs. Caries, periodontal disease, and other oral conditions, if left untreated, can lead to pain, infection, and loss of function. These undesirable outcomes can adversely affect learning, communication, nutrition, and other activities necessary for normal growth and development. Additionally, many medical conditions (such as treatment of blood disorders or tumors) are compounded by the presence of oral maladies and disease.
