Oral Health for the Elderly: Challenges and Opportunities

ElderlyOralHealth

According to Ed Schneider, MD, Dean Emeritus of the University of Southern California’s Andrus Gerontology Center and former Deputy Director of the National Institute on Aging, in four years, the first Baby Boomer turns 65, and 100 million more will soon follow. Most of these elders will live into their 90s, and many will have some cognitive impairment. Up to 30 million could have Alzheimer’s disease. The Santa Fe Group  met on June 28, 2007, to discuss how best to meet the needs of this booming elderly population and to identify necessary actions to improve their oral health. Offered here are synopses from the Group’s four panel discussions.

This article was written by Beth Vrabel.