Geriatric dentistry in India: An oral medicine perspective

Abstract

The fastest emerging component of the general population comprises geriatric people, which, in future, will have an impact on oral and systemic health considerations. As there is an increase in the elderly population, it has given rise to new challenges, of which the foremost and important challenge is to provide health care that is cost-effective, accessible, and of fine eminence. Oral health, which forms a major fraction of the general health, has its impact on the physical and mental status, which affects the quality of life of geriatric population. In order to provide excellent oral health care, it is mandatory to focus on the knowledge and education in the field of geriatric dentistry, which will aid in providing optimum health care. Geriatric dentistry has failed to evolve as a distinct, independent specialty at the postgraduate level of dental education. Even at the undergraduate level, there is a lack of training and the constituent aspects of geriatric dentistry are not included in the curriculum. Young graduates need to understand the socio-economic, physical, and psychological problems, and the complexity in treating the elderly patients suffering from chronic diseases and long-term medication, as part of their training in oral medicine. Also, specialized courses in the field of geriatric dentistry, such as "oral medicine advanced education program" and "fellowship in geriatric dentistry," must be developed for the oral medicine specialists to address and meet the needs of elderly population in India.