Course Description:
Special needs of older persons seeking dental
care: systemic and oral health, physiology and psychology of
aging, socioeconomic problems, effective communication, dental
management, special problems in home health care, and managing
frail elders in institutional and long-term care settings.
Educational Objectives:
The student will gain knowledge in geriatric
dentistry and about the older population today, the aging
process in general, and the effects of aging on oral health. The
objectives will be for the student to be able to: (1) identify
oral conditions common to older persons, with particular
emphasis on pathology which increases in frequency with age, (2)
obtain a thorough medical and medication history from aged
patients, (3) obtain a psychosocial history which describes
factors that influence the older person’s dental needs and
ability to obtain care, (4) coordinate dental care with other
health care disciplines, e.g., medicine, pharmacy, social work,
and nursing, and (5) understand and be able to perform clinical
procedures with geriatric patients that consider their special
needs.
Course Outline:
Lecture topics in Quarter 10 include: the
growth of geriatric dentistry; the demographic imperative;
normal and abnormal changes in physiological functions with
aging; diseases, oral changes with aging; epidemiology of oral
diseases in the elderly; normal and abnormal changes in
cognitive functioning; mental health and disease; variations
among geriatric patients; update on medications used by the
elderly and their ADRs; communicating with older patients; and
assessment. Lecture topics in Quarter 11 include clinical issues
such as: preventive dentistry; periodontal disease; restorative,
endodontic, prosthodontic, and oral surgical procedures for
geriatric patients; treating frail and high risk elderly; and
treatment planning issues in geriatric dental care. |
Course Expectations:
To successfully meet
the requirements of this course, the student is expected to
attend lectures and demonstrate his/her knowledge of the lecture
material and reading assignments through weekly quizzes. The
student is also required to complete an assessment and diagnosis
exercise in Quarter 10 and to complete a treatment plan for
a simulated geriatric patient in Quarter 11.
Effective
Winter Quarter 2007, completion of on-line course evaluation
is a requirement of this course. Failure to comply will result
in an "Incomplete" grade being assigned.
Media:
- Syllabus, DENT 534 containing assigned
articles and chapters from various textbooks.
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