title: Evaluation of understanding levels of Indian dental students' knowledge and perceptions regarding older adults.
abstract: Increasing numbers of older people and decreasing rates of edentulism highlight the importance of dental education that focuses on oral health and ageing. Our evaluation study was carried out to assess the Indian dental graduate's geriatric knowledge, as well as their awareness, of the bio-psychosocial factors that are potential barriers to geriatric oral health care. A total of 98 students were evaluated during their rotational clinical posting in the fifth year of the dental education programme. The results suggest that general attitudes need to be changed by the inclusion of geriatric dentistry in the dental curriculum. Exposure of students to didactic and clinical setting appears to be a critical element towards positive knowledge and attitude of the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, SDM College of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad, India. gourisdm@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Gouri Venkatesh
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Anehosur
authors.forename: Ramesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Nadiger
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003415:Crime; D016321:Dental Care for Aged; D004497:Education, Dental; D005260:Female; D005850:Geriatric Dentistry / Q000193:education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D009909:Oral Health; D011287:Prejudice; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012923:Social Class; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology*