Oral health issues of late Baby Boomers (1956-1964).

OBJECTIVE: To examine the issues and forces on the oral health of late Baby Boomers born in 1956-1964 that have shaped their oral health status and the opportunities and disparities in oral health care that this generational cohort has experienced. METHODS: Past and current literature on the oral health status of this cohort was reviewed in light of concurrent social, political, and economic climates in order to better understand current and future needs in oral health care for this generation. RESULTS: The majority of late Baby Boomers have not yet had their 65th birthday. They have benefitted from more opportunities for education, preventive health care, and technological advances in dentistry and medicine than any other prior generation, including their big brothers and sisters-the early Baby Boomers. Yet they have had fewer economic advantages than the early Boomers. Age prevalent diseases, conditions, and medications common to older adults will pose new risks to oral health. Discrete, longitudinal data on oral health status and needs by generational cohort-such as for the late Baby Boomer cohort-is lacking. CONCLUSIONS: Despite retaining more of their dentition than any other generation, it also evident that over the course of their lifetime, poverty, racism, and limited education have been unrelenting barriers to oral healthcare and undermine outcomes of care.

Policies Supporting Oral Health in Ageing Populations Are Needed Worldwide.

This literature review examines the need to develop appropriate policies specific to the oral health needs of older people that are individualised, cost-effective, and sustainable. Poor oral health and impaired oral function negatively affect the health and quality of life of older adults. Developing care systems that aim to meet patients' normative needs as well as their perceived needs and expectations is one factor in successful delivery of appropriate dental care. Cost is another significant driver of utilisation, and many older adults worldwide lack adequate resources for dental care. Failure to address these issues results in poor outcomes and increased costs of dental and medical care. Disease prevention and control at early stages can preserve public and private financial resources as well as quality of life and well-being for older adults at any stage of life.

Oral Health in America: Implications for dental practice.

BACKGROUND: Important, but insufficient, gains have been achieved in access to and delivery of oral health care since the 2000 US surgeon general's report on oral health in America. Access to care has increased for children and young adults, but considerable work remains to meet the oral health care needs of all people equitably. The National Institutes of Health report, Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges, reviews the state of the US oral health care system, achievements made since 2000, and remaining challenges. In this article, the authors highlight key advances and continuing challenges regarding oral health status, access to care and the delivery system, integration of oral and systemic health, financing of oral health care, and the oral health workforce. RESULTS: Public insurance coverage has increased since 2000 but remains limited for many low-income, minority, and older adult populations. The oral health care workforce has expanded to include new dental specialties and allied professional models, increasing access to health promotion and preventive services. Practice gains made by women and Asian Americans have not extended to other minority demographic groups. Oral health integration models are improving access to and delivery of patient-centered care for some vulnerable populations. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Coordinated policies and additional resources are needed to further improve access to care, develop dental insurance programs that reduce out-of-pocket costs to lower-income adults, and improve the integration of oral and medical health care delivery targeting a common set of patient-centered outcomes. Dental care professionals need to fully participate in meaningful and system-wide change to meet the needs of the population equitably.

Should dentistry be a specialty of medicine? Two viewpoints.

Dentistry and dental education are well-established domains with deep-rooted institutions, educational programs, organizational structures, and advanced specialty fields. Almost 100 years ago, Dr. William Gies, founder of the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, stated that to best serve the oral health needs of the population, dentistry should be considered a specialty of medicine, and dental students should have the same solid foundation in the basic and clinical sciences as medical students. More recently, the report on "Advancing Dental Education in the 21st Century" recommends an increase in the integration of dental and medical education as a means to address 2 of its key challenges: "shrinking demand for dental services" and "shifting practice environment." However, it has also been argued that making dentistry and dental education a subspecialty of medicine and medical education will create logistical, structural, regulatory, and financial dilemmas. Instead of a drastic change to current dental educational, organizational, and institutional models, some argue a contemporary approach to dental education is required to ensure dentists are well prepared to address the healthcare needs of the population and future healthcare delivery systems and practice models. Recognizing the need for change in dental education to keep pace with changes in patient demographics and healthcare systems, the dental profession has the responsibility and opportunity to develop new models and paradigms that improve educational and clinical outcomes in our educational programs and future practice.

Dental Care for Geriatric and Special Needs Populations.

This article reviews considerations for oral health care associated with the most common causes of mortality and morbidity in older adults. Many of these diseases result in functional or cognitive impairments that must be considered in treatment planning to ensure appropriate, safe, and effective care for patients. Many of these considerations parallel those of adults who have lived with developmental disabilities over a lifetime and similar principles can be applied. Systemic diseases, conditions, and their treatments can pose significant risks to oral health, which requires prevention, treatment, and advocacy for oral health care as integral to chronic disease management.

Clinical Care for an Aging Population.

Pathologic changes in the oral cavity can portend the presence of systemic diseases and result in poor oral health and tooth loss, which are commonly symbolic of aging. Systemic diseases can have direct and indirect effects on oral health, and, likewise, poor oral health can impact general health and wellbeing. Negligence in oral care results in the accumulation of dental plaque and calculus, which eventually contributes to the onset of dental caries, periodontal disease, halitosis, tooth loss, and, ultimately, diminished oral function. Some oral pathology also increases in prevalence in older adults. However, diminished oral health and function is not a normal result of aging. Providing appropriate oral healthcare to frail and medically compromised adults requires an interprofessional approach to address the many diseases and conditions that can impact oral health and the safe and timely provision of care. As opportunities increase for oral healthcare professionals to function as integral members of interdisciplinary teams and to practice in nontraditional and more accessible settings, clinicians may gain better understanding of the dynamic balance between oral and general health, and how the social determinants of health can be leveraged to favor both.

A systematic review of silver diamine fluoride: Effectiveness and application in older adults.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review examines the effectiveness of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in the management of caries in older adults. BACKGROUND: Silver diamine fluoride has been extensively researched and proven effective for caries prevention and arrest in children. Limited studies support its effectiveness in adult and older adult populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multiple databases were searched according to specified inclusion-exclusion criteria. Quality assessment used modified Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine worksheets. RESULTS: Three randomised controlled trials were identified that addressed the effectiveness of SDF on root caries in older adults, but none addressed coronal caries. Root caries prevented fraction and arrest rate for SDF were significantly higher than placebo. The prevented fraction for caries prevention for SDF compared to placebo was 71% in a 3-year study and 25% in a 2-year study. The prevented fraction for caries arrest for SDF was 725% greater in a 24-month study and 100% greater than placebo in a 30-month study. No severe adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSION: This systematic review evaluates the use of SDF for both root caries prevention and arrest in older adults. Existing reports of SDF trials support effectiveness in root caries prevention and arrest, remineralization of deep occlusal lesions and treatment of hypersensitive dentin.

Caring for Older Adults With Complex Needs: Drafting an Interdisciplinary Team.

Providing dental care for seniors with complex medical and/or social needs can seem daunting. Many dental providers may question their resources to manage such patients. However, many of these patients have teams in place that can be accessed to improve the efficacy and satisfaction in providing care to them. Seeking out patients' other health care providers, and understanding how to work effectively with them, is important to improve total patient care, comfort, function and dignity.

Pre- and postdoctoral dental education compared to practice patterns in special care dentistry.

There has been limited research into the impact of predoctoral experiences and postdoctoral general dentistry residencies on the practice patterns of dentists in the care of patients with special or complex needs. This study was undertaken to determine if educational experiences with special populations had a relationship to practice patterns after graduation or residency. University of the Pacific alumni who graduated between 1997 and 2007 were surveyed regarding their pre- and postdoctoral dental education and their practice patterns for the care of patients categorized as medically compromised, frail elders, and developmentally disabled. Definitions for each patient category were provided. Alumni were asked about their practice setting and postdoctoral education. Thirty-one percent (n=526) of those surveyed responded. Regression analyses showed respondents not in private practice were more likely to have completed a postdoctoral general dentistry program (Advanced Education in General Dentistry or General Practice Residency) after dental school compared to respondents in private practice (p<0.001). Across all age groups, respondents not in private practice treated significantly more patients with developmental disabilities than those in private practice (p<0.001). Respondents not in private practice treated more medically compromised patients younger than age sixty-five compared to respondents in private practice (p<0.01). Interestingly, those in private practice treated significantly more patients over sixty-five who were also classified as medically compromised (p<0.05). Pacific alumni who completed postdoctoral training in general dentistry were found to practice more often in non-private practice settings. Alumni in non-private practice settings reported treating a higher percentage of medically compromised patients below age sixty-five than their counterparts in a typical private practice. The pre- and postdoctoral experiences of treating special needs populations appear to have a relationship to graduates' practice setting and patient population.

Perceptions of predoctoral dental education and practice patterns in special care dentistry.

The objective of this research project was to compare alumni perceptions of predoctoral dental education in the care and management of patients with complex needs to alumni practice patterns. Alumni from the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry who graduated from 1997 to 2007 were surveyed regarding perceptions of their predoctoral education in the care of patients categorized and defined as medically compromised, frail elders, and developmentally disabled, as well as their practice patterns. Perceptions were rated on a Likert scale. Regression analyses were utilized. Three primary relationships were identified: 1) positive relationships emerged between perceptions of educational value, as students and practitioners, of the training they received compared to percentages of medically compromised patients they currently treat (p≤0.05); 2) after practice experience, 2003-07 graduates reported significantly higher value of their education in this area compared to 1997-2002 graduates; and 3) alumni who reported treating more patients with complex needs during school reported treating significantly more of these patients in practice (p≤0.05). We conclude that alumni who reported educational experiences as more valuable treat more patients with complex needs compared to those who valued them less. Alumni who reported having more opportunities to treat patients with complex needs as students treat a higher percentage of those patients than those reporting fewer. Even positive perceptions may underestimate the value of educational experiences as they relate to future practice.

Comprehensive dental services for an underserved and medically compromised population provided through a community partnership and service learning.

The University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco established a comprehensive dental care program at Laguna Honda Hospital, a public, skilled nursing facility. The program had three goals: (1) to provide dental students and residents an opportunity to provide oral health care for adults who were frail and medically compromised who could not come into the clinics, (2) to increase students' access to patients who needed removable prosthodontics, and (3) to fulfill Pacific's commitment to public service. Laguna Honda and Pacific pooled their resources to bring comprehensive dental care to patients who were not able to access the dental school clinics. The long-term goals are to restore and maintain the oral health of those who reside in the facility, and to educate future dentists to provide oral health care for similar populations.

Systematic review of the medication list: a resource for risk assessment and dental management.

Polypharmacy, besides representing a risk in and of itself, points to the potential risk the underlying diseases that necessitated the drugs can present in the dental office. These diseases and medications can also present a risk to oral health. A sequence for categorizing drugs in a medication list is presented here to aid in the identification of potential risks in the dental treatment and management of patients with complex medical histories and drug regimens.

Clinical management of the dental patient taking multiple drugs.

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) occur often in elders often due to polypharmacy. Those over 65 currently comprise 13% of the population but consume approximately a third of all drugs prescribed. Increased care when prescribing certain drug classes and careful monitoring of the patient can prevent many ADRs. This article examines four questions that should be addressed when providing dental care for an older patient taking multiple medications. These include: (1) what are the medical conditions that necessitate the medications, (2) what impact do these medical conditions have on the provision of care, (3) what are the oral side effects of the medications, and (4) how will the patient's current list of medications alter the dentist's prescribing patterns for drugs used in dentistry?

Abuse and neglect of elderly individuals: guidelines for oral health professionals.

The number of elderly individuals in our society is growing rapidly. This demographic change presents a number of challenges to our society and our health care systems. One of these is elder abuse and neglect, a serious and growing problem. In California, there are a number of state agencies responsible for oversight of care provided to elderly individuals and several systems for reporting suspected abuse and neglect depending on where the suspected abuse or neglect is occurring. Dental professionals are mandated reporters and therefore must understand how to recognize and--where possible prevent--abuse and neglect in their older patients and know how to report these suspicions.

A predoctoral clinical geriatric dentistry rotation at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry.

Predoctoral dental students from University of the Pacific School of Dentistry provide initial and yearly dental evaluations for participants of On Lok Senior Health Services on site at On Lok centers. Student dentists also complete some dental procedures including denture fabrication, adjustments and repairs, hard and soft relines, scaling/root planing, polishing, and limited restorative treatments. A wide range of age-prevalent oral conditions such as candidiasis and xerostomia are identified and treated or managed. Students may also be called upon to present patient needs weekly to a member of the interdisciplinary team for discussion. Students periodically review instructions and devices for oral health care with the On Lok staff. The program is intended to be mutually beneficial to the participants of On Lok and Pacific student dentists. While the majority of comprehensive and emergency services are provided by On Lok staff dentists and contract specialists, the student dentist program has broadened the scope of the oral health program at On Lok and has been well integrated with the other day services. Meanwhile, Pacific students gain experience identifying and managing the complex social, economic, and health needs of frail elders in San Francisco.