You’re Not Getting Older, You’re Getting BETTER! – Treating the Older Adult Dental Patient

Course Description

Geriatric Dentistry

As the US population continually grows older, an increasing number of older adult patients are retaining their natural teeth and presenting for care in our dental offices. Because this special population has many medical and oral health issues, dental professionals must stay abreast of conditions/pathologies these patients experience, to provide the best care possible. This live webinar contains current epidemiologic information about the population as well as conditions they experience and their implications for dental care. Examples of pathologies from Ms. Lukes’ personal collection of images exposed at senior adult oral cancer screening events are included and oral hygiene techniques for both dentate and non-dentate patients will be discussed.

Course Objectives

At the completion of this course the participants should be able to:

1. Describe key trends in the demographics of the aging population
2. Explain additional assessment procedures required for treating older adult patients
3. Compare/contrast age-related and pathology induced systems changes and disorders in older adults
4. Explain pathophysiology and options for managing xerostomia in older adult patients
5. List systemic diseases experienced by older adults and management of oral symptoms
6. Explain common oral conditions/pathology experienced by older adults
7. Describe various oral hygiene techniques for the dentate and edentulous older adult patient