Authors:
R.M.H. Schaub, C. de Baat
Source:
NTvT december 2006; 113: 496 - 501
Section:
summary:
In recent years, a specialization in geriatric dentistry has been established and along with it an educational programme. A specialist in geriatric dentistry is a dentist general practitioner with special knowledge and skills for delivering oral care to frail elderly people. The educational programme aims at an increase in dentists serving in geriatric care who are well prepared for delivering care. In the programme attention is paid to the special aspects of care delivery and the special somatic, mental, and social characteristics of frail elderly people. The goal is to formulate an individual oral care programme for every frail elderly person. An individual oral care programme may contain 5 different oral care activities: continuing care, prevention, support, treatments, and evaluation. These activities define the scope of specialists in geriatric dentistry. This scope in turn defines the profile of required knowledge and skills, and the profile is the foundation of the educational objectives of the educational programme. The educational programme contains 7 modules: affinity; somatic and mental disabilities; communicative skills and coping with behavioural disturbances; emergency medical care; history taking, assessment, prevention, treatments and evaluation; organization and legislation; scientific training.