title: An interprofessional educational approach to oral health care in the geriatric population.
abstract: An interprofessional educational approach was used to provide five in-service training sessions for all direct health care providers in a long-term care facility, and one half-day seminar/live webinar for community-licensed health care professionals. Content included presentations by five disciplines: (a) periodontist: oral-systemic relationship, (b) oral pathologist: oral pathology, (c) pharmacist: oral health-pharmacological link, (d) dietitian: oral health-dietary link, and (e) occupational therapist: providing and practicing proper oral hygiene. Significant improvement in posttest scores for the five in-service training sessions and the half-day seminar/live webinar was revealed in t-test results, representing an increase in knowledge gained. Approximately 80% of the 145 participants indicated that they would make a change in patient care. Findings indicate that the in-service training sessions and half-day seminar/live webinar supported development of the geriatric work force by utilizing an interprofessional educational approach which will assist in meeting the oral health care needs of the geriatric population.
authors.affiliation: a Dental Hygiene Program, Department of Oral Health Promotion and Community Outreach, School of Dentistry , Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond , Virginia , USA.
authors.forename: Patricia Brown
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Bonwell
authors.forename: Pamela L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: Al M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hise
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000193:education*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009909:Oral Health
keywords: dental; education; geriatric; interdisciplinary; interprofessional; oral health