Dental care in geriatric patients—a cross-sectorial service

PURPOSE: Evaluation of a customer-designed dental service network across the service sectors for geriatric patients. CONTEXT: The lack in accessibility of dental services and the non-awareness of possible dental causes to medical problems by clinicians often prevents the geriatric patient from receiving the dental care needed. In cooperation with the Dental Board a geriatric dentist was appointed, multi-professional rounds, training in oral hygiene organized and a documentation system for cross-references to other medical conditions and the nutritional status implemented. DATA SOURCE: The scientific evaluation of >280 geriatric dental patients from 2008 to 2009 (22 with original teeth, 260 with dentures, 88 with denture problems, 32 with other affections). CASE DESCRIPTION: Upon admission patients are screened for dental problems. Possible problems are seen by the specially trained geriatric dentist. The patient’s dental problems are photo-documented and than cross-referenced to his overall medical condition in a common documentation sheet for an overview of possible dental causes, the nutritional situation or other conditions. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: The integration of a special geriatric dental service, using competence from across the sectors of medical care lead to an improved level of dental care and oral hygiene in the geriatric patients and better inter-professional understanding.