On the Necessity of a Geriatric Oral Health Care Transition Model: Towards an Inclusive and Resource-Oriented Transition Process

Abstract

People in need of care also require support within the framework of structured dental care in their different life situations. Nowadays, deteriorations in oral health tend to be noticed by chance, usually when complaints or pain are present. Information on dental care is also lost when life situations change. An older person may rely on family members having oral health skills. This competence is often not available, and a lot of oral health is lost. When someone, e.g., a dentist, physician, caregiver, or family member notices a dental care gap, a structured transition to ensure oral health should be established. The dental gap can be detected by, e.g., the occurrence of bad breath in a conversation with the relatives, as well as in the absence of previously regular sessions with the dental hygienist. The aim of the article is to present a model for a structured geriatric oral health care transition. Due to non-existing literature on this topic, a literature review was not possible. Therefore, a geriatric oral health care transition model (GOHCT) on the basis of the experiences and opinions of an expert panel was developed. The GOHCT model on the one hand creates the political, economic, and legal conditions for a transition process as a basis in a population-relevant approach within the framework of a transition arena with the representatives of various organizations. On the other hand, the tasks in the patient-centered approach of the transition stakeholders, e.g., patient, dentist, caregivers and relatives, and the transition manager in the transition process and the subsequent quality assurance are shown.

Exploring preferences of older adults for dental services: A pilot multi‐national discrete choice experiment

“…29 A key issue is how older people transition into this and how appropriate services should be provided. 30 One important element here is raising older people awareness of to the range of services that can be provided by other members of the dental team and the role that non-dental professionals can have in a multidisciplinary approach. 9,20,21 Uncertainty in any judgement task tends towards a position of safety; that is people are warier when uncertain.…”

“…A number of examples across Europe have shown how oral health care can be provided once older people become completely dependent and enter a care environment 29 . A key issue is how older people transition into this and how appropriate services should be provided 30 . One important element here is raising older people awareness of to the range of services that can be provided by other members of the dental team and the role that non‐dental professionals can have in a multidisciplinary approach 9,20,21 .…”

A Proposal for a Multidisciplinary Integrated Oral Health Network for Patients Undergoing Major Orthopaedic Surgery (IOHN-OS)

“…The continuity of care will be guaranteed even after discharge, with territorial care pathways integrated with the same multidisciplinary and multimodal competence. This would require rebuilding the existing pathways and creating economic, legal, and political conditions that adhere to a geriatric oral health care transition model as a basis for a population-relevant approach [ 53 ].…”