Authors : Shilpa Warhekar, Shilpa Warhekar, Juzer Rasul, Juzer Rasul
DOI : 10.18231/j.adr.2021.009
Volume : 11
Issue : 1
Year : 2021
Page No : 59-64
The specialty of geriatric medicine developed in the 1950s as a response to the particular health needs of frail older people since then the dental care for geriatric patients has been increasing day by day. The treatment and diagnosis of geriatric patient is challenging, as these patient have both systemic and oral problem. There is an escalating demand for geriatric oral healthcare in all developed and developing countries including India. Two-thirds of the world’s elderly live in developing countries. This is a huge population that must receive attention from policy-makers who will be challenged by the changing demands for social and health services including oral health services. Viewing the recent Indian demographic profile and the trends in oral health, pertinent policy subjects have to be discuss concerning the oral health needs of the elderly and also the associated challenges which include strategies to improve quality of life, strategies to train and educate the dental workforce and above all the role of healthcare
systems towards realization of better aged society in India and other developing countries.
Keywords: Geriatric dentistry, general health, oral health.