Promoting Elder Oral Health

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Promoting Elder Oral Health

• Ruth S. Goldblatt DMD
• University of Connecticut
• School of Dental Medicine

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Accessing Care

• Cost Barriers
• Who pays for care
• T19
• Currently reimburse at less than 10 reasonable
  and customary for elders
• Medicare
• Does not cover routine dental services
• Out of pocket
• Pride
• Perception of need to get care

3
Treating Older Patients

• Changes we go through as we age
• Skin
• Cognitive
• Organs
• Challenges for the dental team

4
Oral Diseases

• Disease Increase
• Dental and Medical diseases
• Population growth
• Keeping teeth longer more disease
• Medication Side Effects
• Dry Mouth
• Tooth decay
• Ability to wear dentures and partials
• Quality of life issues
• Ability to perform Activities of Daily Living
• Ability to use Instruments of Daily Living

5
Accessing Care

• Physical barriers
• Transportation
• Walkers, wheelchairs
• Stairs
• Training of providers
• National level
• State level
• What is CT doing?
• What is Dental School doing?

6
Resources and References

• http//www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/index.htm
• http//www.nidcr.nih.gov/
• http//www.scdonline.org
• http//www.ada.org