The Care and Coercion Act and oral care for people with an intellectual disability
In 2020, a new law (Wzd) was introduced to protect individuals with an indication under the Long-Term Care Act from coercion in healthcare. The Wzd applies to the healthcare of anyone with a long-term care act indication (whether they live at home or in a small- or large-scale institution, excluding judicial institutions); people with intellectual and/or multiple disabilities and people with a (psycho-)geriatric condition or similar disability. The Wzd should also apply within dental care if individuals refuse oral care or exhibit resistant behaviour when receiving oral care. By strictly applying the law in practice, ethical dilemmas can arise because it ‘doesn’t work’ for a patient. Oral care within the healthcare for the disabled sometimes requires the application of common sense in order to help a patient in a good way.