Given the increasing body of empirical evidence, greater recognition is warranted for creating physical environments appropriate and responsive to residents' cognitive abilities and functioning. Future research needs to place greater emphasis on environmental intervention-based studies, diverse sample populations, inclusion of residents in different stages and with multiple types of dementia, and on longitudinal study design.

Dental care professionals are in an ideal position to reinforce appropriate preventative advice to both the child and their parent/carer. In this article, Heather Cowie, Sanjeev Sood and Gillian Richardson outline the factors in the prevention of dental caries and erosion.