title: A 30-year review of a geriatric dentistry teaching programme.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the development of the Geriatric Dental and Special Needs Education programme at the University of Iowa over the last 30 years.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The programme at Iowa evolved from a didactic elective programme taught by a single faculty person to a required didactic and clinical programme, which includes a Special Care Clinic in the dental school and a mobile unit with portable dental equipment which serves ten area nursing homes with comprehensive care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Changes have been made in the programme over time based on formal and informal feedback from students and graduates, and we have also looked at the impact of the programme on dental services to our target population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The factors influencing the curriculum development are identified and discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As no dental schools are the same, some general applications are suggested from the Iowa experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics and Dows Institute for Dental Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. ronald-ettinger@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Ronald L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Ettinger
mesh_terms: D003190:Comprehensive Dental Care; D003479:Curriculum; D016321:Dental Care for Aged; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities; D003740:Dental Clinics; D004497:Education, Dental; D005179:Faculty, Dental; D005246:Feedback; D005850:Geriatric Dentistry / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D008952:Mobile Health Units; D009735:Nursing Homes; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013335:Students, Dental; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D014146:Training Support