Geriatric Oral Health Care and Education
Summary
The demographic shift towards an ageing global population has elevated the importance of maintaining oral health across later life. Geriatric oral health care encompasses the prevention, diagnosis and management of dental and periodontal disease in older adults, while recognising the interplay between oral and systemic conditions. Age-related changes such as reduced salivary flow, increased risk of root caries and polypharmacy complicate routine dental interventions and demand a multidisciplinary approach. Education in geriatric dentistry has expanded from traditional didactic teaching to include clinical rotations in long-term care facilities, interprofessional training with geriatric medicine and the adoption of telehealth to reach homebound and frail elders. Despite progress, disparities persist in access to age-appropriate services, driven by limited specialist training, inconsistent curricula and variable policy support. Integrating geriatric competencies across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, alongside continuing professional development for non-dental healthcare workers, is essential to equip the workforce for complex older patient needs. Global initiatives have begun to foster standardised curricula and national oral health policies that address the diverse requirements of older populations, emphasising prevention, functional rehabilitation and quality of life.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Geriatric Oral Health Care and Education publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in geriatric oral health care and education across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Geriatric dentistry: Branch of dentistry addressing prevention, diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases in older adults, with attention to age-related physiological changes and complex medical profiles.
Age-Friendly 4Ms framework: A model for comprehensive care focusing on what Matters most to the patient, Medication review, Mentation (cognitive function) and Mobility, ensuring holistic and personalised management of older adults.
Polypharmacy: The concurrent use of multiple medications, often increasing the risk of oral side effects, drug interactions and complicating dental treatment planning.
Edentulism: The condition of being partially or completely without natural teeth, which may necessitate prosthodontic rehabilitation to restore function and quality of life.
References
- Evaluation of the Information on Dutch Dental Practice Websites Regarding the Treatment of (Frail) Elderly Patients. International Dental Journal (2024).
- Linking current dental education to gerontological education to meet the oral health needs of growing aging populations. Frontiers in Oral Health (2023).
- Higher education in Gerodontology in European Universities. BMC Oral Health (2017).
- Geriatric Dentistry Curriculum in Six Continents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2020).
- Global Perspectives of Oral Health Policies and Oral Healthcare Schemes for Older Adult Populations. Frontiers in Oral Health (2021).
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.