Opinions of Dentists on the Treatment of Elderly Patients in Long‐term Care Facilities

Abstract

The high prevalence of disorders in the mouths of elderly residents in long-term care (LTC) facilities suggests that the dental services available to the residents are inadequate. A questionnaire was sent to most of the dentists practicing in Vancouver (British Columbia) to solicit their opinions on treating older patients in LTC facilities, and a response was obtained from 334 (55%). It indicated that 19 percent of the respondents had treated old people within this context, although few of them felt they had been educated adequately for the service. Many reasons were offered to explain the small participation. Most respondents had never been asked to attend a facility. Many felt that it interfered with their practice and leisure, and they were concerned about the limited options available for treatment. Dentists who had attended facilities were motivated by a sense of professional or public responsibility, but they were uneasy about the limited options and about the inadequate space and equipment available. In general, the dentists were not interested in attending an institutionalized geriatric population, and they felt ill-prepared for the service.

Opinions of dentists on the barriers in providing oral health care to community‐dwelling frail older people: a questionnaire survey

“…The practical barriers expressed by the participants are in accordance with what was found in the studies carried out among dentists working in a long‐term care facility by MacEntee et al ,. Weiss et al .…”

Dental service provision in Victorian residential aged care facilities

“…12 A number of significant barriers to the provision of adequate dental care for residents of aged care facilities have been identified by dentists and RACF staff, particularly the lack of portable equipment, difficult working conditions in RACFs, apathy of residents and staff, uncooperative administrators, residents' behavioural and communication problems and perceived lack of training in geriatric dentistry. 11,[13][14][15][16][17] Financial considerations are also known to affect the decision to provide treatment for residents. Carers often have limited knowledge and education in oral hygiene care and dental disease, and this impacts on their ability to provide adequate care to residents.…”

Multidimensional Risk Assessment for Tooth Loss in a Geriatric Population with Diverse Medical and Dental Backgrounds

“…In the present study, a great majority of the participants were low‐income older adults or those with special‐needs. Evidence showed that, because of the lack of resources for dental care, physical or mental disability, lack of social support and transportation, neglect, and other reasons, older adults with special needs have more difficulties accessing necessary dental care than their healthy, independent counterparts 30–36 . In this circumstance, although number of teeth with restorations indicates past history of dental caries, to some degree, it also reflects the ability of an older adult with special needs to obtain necessary dental care, including treatment of caries.…”