Oral Health and Interprofessional Collaborative Practice: Examples of the Team Approach to Geriatric Care.
Oral health for the older adult patient is vital for function, comfort, and communication and is a critical component of overall health. Oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontal disease, and oral cancer may lead to pain, functional limitations, and decreased quality of life. Optimal oral health outcomes are often owing to effective interprofessional collaboration between and among health care providers, in conjunction with patient family members and caregivers. This article highlights 2 cases illustrating how interprofessional team dynamics can affect patient outcomes.
Department of General Dentistry, Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, 100 E. Newton Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA; Section of Geriatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, MA 02118, USA. Electronic address: lbkaufma@bu.edu.
Laura B
LB
Kaufman
Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research, Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, 560 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
Michelle M
MM
Henshaw
Department of Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Services, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry, 801 S. Paulina St, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
Blase P
BP
Brown
Department of General Dentistry, Geriatric Dental Medicine, Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston Medical Center, 100 East Newton Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA; Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Joseph M
JM
Calabrese
D016321:Dental Care for Aged; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D009909:Oral Health; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011788:Quality of Life
Dental education; Geriatric dentistry; Interprofessional relations; Medical education; Oral cancer; Patient care planning; Patient care team; Prosthodontics