Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 28, 2026
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Barriers to dental services for older adults
Theresa Montini1, Tuo-Yen Tseng2, Helly Patel3
1The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA. TMontini@med.cuny.edu.
Many older adults need dental care but face significant access barriers. Financial, transportation, and navigation issues prevent many from receiving necessary dental treatment.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Dental Public Health
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Older adults experience a high prevalence of oral health issues.
- Access to dental care is crucial for overall health and well-being in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the barriers preventing community-dwelling older adults from accessing necessary dental care.
- To identify specific challenges faced by older adults in obtaining dental treatment.
Main Methods:
- Oral examinations were conducted on 184 older adults.
- Participants needing dental care were followed up to assess treatment access.
- Those unable to access care were interviewed to understand barriers.
Main Results:
- 89% of examined older adults required dental treatment.
- Within 6 weeks, only 52% received treatment, while 48% did not.
- Barriers included lack of finances, transportation difficulties, and challenges navigating the dental system.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of older adults suffer from untreated oral disease.
- Persistent barriers hinder dental care access for this demographic.
More Related Videos
06:52Assessment of Dependence in Activities of Daily Living Among Older Patients in an Acute Care Unit
Published on: September 30, 2020
08:25Collecting Saliva and Measuring Salivary Cortisol and Alpha-amylase in Frail Community Residing Older Adults via Family Caregivers
Published on: December 18, 2013
Related Concept Videos
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
01:15Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
01:27Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
01:22Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Absorption
01:30Barriers to Effective Communication I
Communication barriers include the following:
Physiological barriers: They are limitations caused by a person's health condition or disability, such as hearing loss, poor eyesight, illness, or unconsciousness. An example to overcome this...
01:18Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion