The educational challenge of dental geriatrics

Education in dentistry as in medicine is guided principally by the ontology and theory of science, which provides definitions of health and disease, legitimizes research methods, and influences the role of the clinician. The challenge of managing chronic oral disease and disability prompts interest in social theory as much as science. Therefore, dental geriatrics requires a solid foundation in the humanities from the belief that the determinants of health and the cause of chronic diseases lie within an intermingling of biology, economics, sociocultural structure, and human behavior. The dental curriculum in many places is reorganizing from the horizontal foundation of basic sciences to an integration of foundational and clinical knowledge focused on clinical competencies and integrated care. The impact of this integration on dental geriatrics necessitates a more humanistic and naturalistic perspective in dental education to balance and challenge the current evidence for best clinical practice, which at present is based almost exclusively on science. Consequently, dental students should be exposed to a consilience of the science and the humanities if dentists are to address effectively the needs of an aging population.