<p>Population aging is a worldwide phenomenon and, even though there is a downward trend in edentulism, the need for complete dentures is not likely to decrease in the near future. Furthermore, patients’ satisfaction with their dentures is fundamental to improving oral health-related quality of life among edentulous individuals. Considering this, a search was performed for literature since 2001 on the factors that may influence patient satisfaction with complete dentures. Many factors were reported that related to technique, patient, and dentist, as well as their likelihood of influencing patient satisfaction. The factors presenting reasonable evidence of influencing patient satisfaction are the kind of therapy chosen (implant-retained overdentures rated more favorably than conventional dentures); patient personality and psychological factors; patient oral conditions; patient perception of the dentist and dental care; and patient-dentist communication issues. Several other factors that may influence patient satisfaction were not addressed in the recent literature or presented contradicting results, highlighting the need for more research in this topic.</p>

Ovariectomy associated with alcohol consumption at 20% significantly changed the stoichiometry composition of hydroxyapatite in the alveolar bone crest, leading to a reduction in Ca/P ratios.

<p><strong>Objective:</strong> The treatment most used worldwide for edentulism is conventional complete dentures, and the most important factor for the success of denture treatment seems to be patient satisfaction. The present study aims to use a qualitative approach to investigate factors that were previously associated with patient satisfaction with dentures by quantitative techniques (correlational studies). <strong>Material and methods:</strong> Twenty patients (12 women and 8 men, age 59-87) participated in open and semi-structured interviews, both pre- and post-treatment. All the interviews were recorded, listened to, and transcribed verbatim, after which the content was analyzed thematically. <strong>Results:</strong> For most respondents, tooth loss represented, first of all, difficulty chewing and eating. Some patients have not accepted the loss of their teeth and felt sadness and shame. Other patients have adapted to their dentures, through acceptance. Regarding expectations, patients expressed very high expectations, especially for the stability and adjustment of dentures, and also for a better appearance. The majority of respondents showed great satisfaction with treatment outcomes; their expectations were met, and the dentures did provide functional benefits. Patients also believed that a trusting relationship between the dentist and the patient plays a fundamental role in treatment outcomes, and they reported that currently dentists are more open to dialogue with their patients. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Confidence between the dentist and the patient plays a fundamental role in their evaluation of the treatment outcomes.</p>

Purpose: This study aimed to validate an ageism scale for dental students in Switzerland. Methods: The original scale was first translated to German and then evaluated by 14 experts for relevance; four items were eliminated. Validation of the resulting questionnaire was performed at three Swiss dental schools. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed; Cronbach's alpha (α) was used to assess the internal consistency reliability, and Pearson's coefficient to identify any correlations with demographic parameters (P < 0.05). Results: PCA revealed 11 items among 4 factors (Overall: 11 items, α = 0.63, variance = 56.6%; Factor #1 (F1): items = 3, α = 0.64; Factor #2 (F2): items = 3, α = 0.42; Factor #3 (F3): items = 3, α = 0.35; Factor #4 (F4): items = 2, α = 0.37). F1 and F4 were correlated with clinical experience (F1: P = 0.042; F4: P = 0.006) and participation in a gerodontology course (F1: P = 0.021; F4: P = 0.004). F1 was correlated with experience of dealing with the elderly (P = 0.031), while residence locality was correlated with F3 (P = 0.047) and F4 (P = 0.043). F2 was correlated with the presence of elderly in the family (P = 0.047). Conclusion:The translated dental ageism questionnaire for Switzerland resulted in an 11-item scale with acceptable reliability.

The aim of this study was to present a concise summary of the oral health policies and oral healthcare schemes for older adult populations in a number of selected countries around the world. In this paper, the current and planned national/regional oral health policies and oral healthcare schemes of nine countries (Australia, Brazil, China including Hong Kong, India, Japan, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States) are reported. Barriers and challenges in oral health promotion in terms of devising oral health policies, implementing oral health schemes, and educating the future dental workforce are discussed. In response to the aging of population, individual countries have initiated or reformed their healthcare systems and developed innovative approaches to deliver oral health services for older adults. There is a global shortage of dentists trained in geriatric dentistry. In many countries, geriatric dentistry is not formally recognized as a specialty. Education and training in geriatric dentistry is needed to produce responsive and competent dental professionals to serve the increasing number of older adults. It is expected that oral health policies and oral healthcare services will be changing and reforming in the coming decades to tackle the enduring oral health challenges of aging societies worldwide.