Caring for Older Adults With Complex Needs: Drafting an Interdisciplinary Team

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Dentistry
• Interprofessional Healthcare Collaboration
• Complex Care Management

Background:

• Dental care for seniors with complex medical and social needs presents challenges for providers.
• Many providers doubt their capacity to manage these complex patients effectively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of interprofessional collaboration in geriatric dental care.
• To guide dental providers on leveraging existing healthcare teams for improved patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Review of strategies for accessing and collaborating with patients' healthcare teams.
• Emphasis on understanding existing support systems for complex senior patients.

Main Results:

• Existing healthcare teams can be accessed to improve the efficacy and satisfaction of dental care.
• Collaboration leads to enhanced total patient care, comfort, function, and dignity.

Conclusions:

• Proactive engagement with patients' healthcare providers is crucial for successful geriatric dental practice.
• Effective interprofessional communication and teamwork are key to managing complex senior patients.