Contributor

Assist. Prof. A. Kossioni

Country -institution

School of Dentistry, Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Title

Treating Ageing Europe: Are we prepared to meet older patients oral health needs?"

Summary

The aim of this presenttion is to comment on the preparedness of the current oral health force to meet the needs of an ageing society in Europe. By 2060, 30% of the Europeans will be older than 65 years, with complex general, medical and oral health needs. Oral health is an essential part of general health. Although the need for removable dentures is still high, the need for extensive restorative treatment in dentate elderly, often with complicated medical history, will increase. Further, the dentist must be competent at providing adequate domiciliary treatment in frail and dependent elderly.

However, most public health programmes are related to children, while clinical guidelines regarding the elderly, and particularly the older old, are sparse. The frail, institutionalised and homebound elderly are often ignored by our health care system. In most developed countries there is a shortage of trained educators and also of work force related to the aged people (doctors, dentists, nurses, social workers, home aides). Social attitudes, existing stereotypes, low income, lack of appropriate equipment, and particularly inadequate training are barriers to attraction of trained health workers.

Training in Gerodontology varies among European Dental Schools and is generally limited. The European College of Gerodontology has recently developed undergraduate curriculum guidelines in Gerodontology, which have to be adjusted to the particular regional resources and needs. To promote the care of the older patients we need appropriate public health policies, training opportunities at the undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education level and more research for the health of the elderly.