Does the dental profession care for disabled elders? Some practical questions.

Division of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia.

The information available on elderly people in Canada indicates that they are part of an expanding population with limited financial resources. Despite the many reports of disinterest in oral health among LTC residents, there is convincing evidence that people in general, regardless of age, dental status, or deteriorating general health, want help when they believe that it is available. The current inequity in dental services can be corrected, and it is the responsibility of all health providers-physicians and nurses no less than dentists-to show that oral disease, discomfort, and disfigurement, are not an inevitable consequence of old age.

PMID: 2139591 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]