If you have special oral health care needs, but you've had difficulty finding educational material about your condition, you'll find a new service started by the National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) may be the resource you need.

The National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse (NOHIC) provides information on a wide variety of medical or disabling conditions which affect oral health. Examples include genetic disorders or systemic diseases such as cleft palate, Sjogren's Syndrome, Ectodermal Dysplasia or Paget's Disease; chemotherapy or radiation for head and neck cancers; or mental or physical disabilties.

The NOHIC provides a variety of services to help both patients and professionals obtain information. Among their services are:

• a computerized catalog of available materials, including books, pamphlets, audiovisual materials and other forms of information;
• information on specialized resources and key organizations in various special needs fields;
• referrals to clearinghouse staff who are experts in various aspects of oral health care for patients with special needs.

To obtain information from NOHIC, contact them at the address listed below:

National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse

Box NOHIC

9000 Rockville Pike

Bethesda, MD 20892

E-mail: nidr@aerie.com

To speak with an information specialist, call Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern time (301) 402-7364.