Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 16, 2026
05:18
Author Spotlight: Improving Radiation Therapy Access with Radiation Planning Assistant
Published on: October 6, 2023
2.1K
Treatment planning concepts for the ageing patient
1Department of Prosthodontics and Dows Institute for Dental Research, The University of Iowa, USA.
Australian Dental Journal
|March 13, 2015
Summary
Oral health care decision-making for older adults is complex, involving medical issues, medications, and cognitive status. Rational dental care prioritizes individual patient needs and quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Dentistry
- Dental Public Health
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Aging populations present unique challenges in industrialized nations.
- Oral health decision-making differs significantly between young and older adults.
- Older adults face complex factors including medical conditions, medications, cognitive status, and cumulative dental issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss concepts of rational dental care and treatment planning for diverse patient populations.
- To evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various decision-making systems in dentistry.
- To highlight clinical challenges and the limited evidence-based data supporting current concepts.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and conceptual analysis of dental treatment planning approaches.
- Discussion of factors influencing clinical decision-making for oral health care.
- Exploration of the definition and principles of rational dental care.
Main Results:
- Decision-making for older adults is complicated by medical, medication, and cognitive factors, alongside lifelong dental wear.
- Various approaches like cost-effective care, minimal invasive dentistry, and rational dental care share fundamental similarities.
- There is a recognized lack of robust evidence-based data to support these treatment planning concepts.
Conclusions:
- Rational dental care is defined as a patient-centered decision-making process considering all modifying factors.
- Treatment planning remains an individualized art, not a group protocol.
- The ultimate goal of dental treatment planning is to serve individual patient needs and enhance their quality of life.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Planning Nursing Care I
6.4K
The planning phase of the nursing process helps nurses set priorities, outline patient-centered goals and expected outcomes, and tailor nursing interventions to align with the aligned care plan. Through the planning phase, the nurse applies critical thinking skills to align and develop interventions according to the patient's needs. It provides continuity of care allowing patients to receive the maximum benefit from treatment. It serves as a pilot plan for allocating individual staff to a...
6.4K
01:15Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
374
Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...
374
01:29Planning Nursing Care II
4.2K
A nursing care plan can present in two forms: informal and formal. Informal is a care plan for the individual use of the nurse and goals they wish to accomplish during their shift. Informal care plans are not included in the patient chart. A formal nursing care plan is a written or computerized guide that organizes patient care. It is further subdivided into two: standardized and individualized care plans. Standardized care plans are pre-populated care plans for specific patient populations,...
4.2K
01:24Nursing Process for Patient and Caregiver Teaching II: Planning and Implementation
2.3K
Planning for learning involves the development of a teaching plan. Teaching plans are similar to nursing care plans—both follow the steps of the nursing process. Planning in the teaching process involves setting goals and outcomes. Here, goals identify what a patient needs to achieve to understand a healthcare topic better, whereas the outcomes are the action to be performed by the patient to achieve the goal within a timeframe. For example, if the goal is to educate the patient about...
2.3K
01:24Nursing Process for Patient and Caregiver Teaching I: Assessment and Diagnosis
2.7K
The nursing process provides a clinical decision-making framework for patients and families to establish and implement a personalized care plan. Since part of the nurse's duties is to teach patients, the steps of the nursing process are the most effective way to approach instruction. The nursing process and the teaching-learning process are inextricably linked.
It is critical to determine the patient's learning needs during the assessment. Determination of learning needs compounds data...
It is critical to determine the patient's learning needs during the assessment. Determination of learning needs compounds data...
2.7K
01:00Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution
353
Drug distribution in the human body is influenced by several factors, including plasma protein concentration, body composition, blood flow, tissue-protein concentration, and tissue fluid pH. Among these, changes in plasma protein concentration and body composition due to aging significantly affect how drugs are distributed within the body. Specifically, aging is associated with a decrease in albumin levels by about 10% and an increase in α1-acid glycoprotein levels. These alterations are...
353