Social and functional inclusion of an undergraduate student with unilateral upper limb agenesis: a case study

Abstract

Objective: The inclusion of health professionals who have some type of disability brings benefits, such as the increase in empathy that facilitates the relationship with patients. In this work, we present a case study on the inclusion of an undergraduate Dentistry student with upper limb agenesis.

Purpose: In order to improve the quality of life for people with upper limb agenesis, it is urgent to establish inclusion strategies in the educational field. This process included the use of assistive technologies to allow the manipulation of instruments used in the practice of dental clinical activities, enabling future Dentists with upper limb agenesis to have an equal education in relation to their academic peers.

Case selection: The case study presented in this work consists of the follow-up of G., a 23-year-old female Dentistry student. The developed adaptations were made using a low-temperature thermoplastic. The expert team that participated in this process was formed by three occupational therapists and three Dentistry professors. The process included several stages, being the last one the integration, in which training sessions were performed.

Outcomes: The process was accessed using two main tools: quantitative questionnaires and qualitative interviews. After the proposed intervention, the volunteer presented a gradual evolution in her occupational performance with the use of most adaptations, promoting her functional training.

Discussions: Most adaptations allowed G. to perform the activities satisfactorily, with the precision inherent to these tasks, even with little training time.

Conclusions: This case study demonstrates the high applicability of the proposed technologies.