Purpose/Objectives: Access to dental care for older adults is challenging, especially for those living in rural areas. People living in rural areas are less likely to visit the dentist, have greater oral health needs, and face significant oral health disparities. Given the projected increase in the older adult population, the aim of this study was to conduct a scoping review (SR) to identify the current landscape of geriatric dental training in rural healthcare settings. Methods: Four guiding concepts (i.e., dental workforce, education/training, rural setting, and older adult population) were searched in PubMed, Embase (Elsevier), Dental and Oral Sciences Source (EBSCO), and ERIC (EBSCO) following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. EndNote and Covidence were used for de-duplication algorithms and title/abstract screening. Results: Seventy-nine citations were identified for the final full-text review based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, and ten articles were eligible for data extraction as applicable to the research question. Three themes emerged from the review: geriatric dentistry inclusion within dental school curricula, clinical training at rural/remote locations, and improving geriatric oral health knowledge through interprofessional training. Conclusion:This SR highlights the limited number of currently trained geriatric dentists, as well as, the paucity of dental programs/curricula offered to produce competent dental geriatricians with an advanced skill set for practicing in rural settings. Our review indicates the need to expand the dental workforce, curricula, and training to better position dentists to serve the older and underserved population in rural and remote areas.

BackgroundCocaine is the second most abused illicit drug in the United States. To date, no study has examined the association between cocaine use and oral health with a nationally representative sample. Our study examined the association between cocaine use—singly and with other substances—and oral health outcomes, including periodontitis and untreated caries, among US adults.MethodsData for 11,753 individuals, aged ≥30 years, who completed a periodontal examination, in the 2009 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed. Descriptive analyses and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were conducted on weighted data.ResultsOverall, 17% (20.5 million) of US adults aged ≥30 years had ever used cocaine, with higher likelihood seen among males, non‐Hispanic whites, and those living in poverty. Current cocaine use prevalence was 2.6% (3.2 million). By number of co‐used substances, the odds of having any periodontitis were higher among cocaine users who consumed ≥3 other substances (adjusted OR = 2.47; 95% CI = 1.15 to 5.30) when compared with solely cocaine users. By type of substance co‐used, odds of having untreated caries were greater among those reporting cigarettes (adjusted OR = 1.94; 95% CI = 1.21 to 3.11) or methamphetamine (adjusted OR = 5.40; 95% CI = 1.92 to 15.14) usage. Odds of any periodontitis were higher among those reported ancillary cigarette use (adjusted OR = 2.84; 95% CI = 1.60 to 5.04) compared with cocaine‐only users.ConclusionsIn addition to a positive association between periodontal disease, dental caries, and cocaine use, select co‐usage elevated the risk of oral disease. Patients should be screened for and counseled regarding substance abuse to facilitate a successful quit.