Identifying the needs of the elderly dental patient. The geriatric dental assessment

The dentist's first obligation to a patient of any age or status is to provide professional expertise on the state of the oral cavity. For the older patient, the contention has been made in this article that, in assembling the battery of information on which a comprehensive plan of oral care is based, the dentist must then go beyond the oral cavity. Through identification of diagnoses, their pharmacologic managements, and related polysystemic functional limitations, the dentist gains insights into potential treatment pitfalls and the patient's ability to contribute to different facets of care. Potential misunderstanding can be avoided and patient orientation enhanced through early identification and involvement, as appropriate, of the decision maker and other interested parties. When all pertinent clinical data are gathered, the provider needs to work with the patient to establish the plan of care that best addresses the dental needs and the medical and functional limitations, given fiscal realities.