Undergraduate Dental Education in Gerodontology in Germany between 2004 and 2019—A case for compulsory teaching?

Nitschke, Siri; Hahnel, Sebastian; Sobotta, Bernhard A.J.; Jockusch, Julia

doi:10.1111/eje.12729

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 19 publications

(92 reference statements)

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“…Only dental students were surveyed, as targeted training in the field of senior dentistry has been established for them in Switzerland [ 28 ]. Students of other disciplines, such as medicine, have the subject of geriatrics firmly anchored in their Catalogue of Learning Objectives and encounter an older and general medical patient clientele in their practical training.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Student Perceptions of Age and Ageing—An Evaluation of Swiss Dental Students Receiving Education in Gerodontology

Nitschke

Gegner

Hopfenmüller

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Society is ageing and the higher number of senior citizens in the total population is a challenge for society and often perceived as a burden. Negative images of old age can lead to ageism and poorer healthcare for older people. The younger generation will have to master these demographic challenges. Therefore, their attitude towards and their perception of the older generation has to be monitored. The aim of this study is to present the images of ageing held by dental students who received education in gerodontology and to assess possible changes between different generations of students over time and separated by gender. An annual, anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted among dental students at the end of the 10th semester each year between 2008 and 2021. The questionnaire surveyed personal attitudes towards ageing, the assessment of seniors, and personal experience with seniors (images of ageing, “Aging Semantic Differential”). In addition to confirming Friedan’s phenomenon regarding the assessment of age limits, the present study was able to demonstrate a positive image of ageing in dental students, which has remained almost constant over the years. An education in gerodontology might positively influence student perceptions of age and aging.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Student Perceptions of Age and Ageing—An Evaluation of Swiss Dental Students Receiving Education in Gerodontology

Nitschke

Gegner

Hopfenmüller

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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“…Gerodontology has started to receive more attention in recent years (14). With time this discipline will begin to be taught in all dental schools (15,16).…”

Section: Geriatric Dentistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Geriatric Dentistry

Panov¹

2022

MedInform

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Geriatric Dentistry (Gerodontology) deals with the provision of dental care to the elderly, including the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of problems associated with age-related diseases. Its purpose is to prepare specialists to acquire skills, knowledge and experience to treat patients in an institutional, public or private environment. In the older population, poor oral health is considered a risk factor for general health problems. Older people are more susceptible to oral diseases or illnesses due to an increase in chronic diseases and physical or mental disabilities. Thus, the elderly form a distinct group in terms of care delivery. Gerodontology provides a comprehensive overview of the aging process and its implications for oral health and dentistry.It is a discipline that has been developing over the last half century but has not received sufficient interest from professionals. It is particularly relevant as the older population needs specific dental care. Gerodontology has started to receive more attention in recent years. It is important that all dental professionals have the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to recognize and treat oral problems in these patients. The boundaries of most conventional dental specialties must be repeatedly crossed to provide optimal dental care for our parents. Dental practitioners need knowledge in numerous frontier areas. Bringing these diverse topics together in one place benefits clinicians, but most of all our mothers, fathers, and grandparents. The ultimate goal of gerodontology is to improve the quality of life and oral health of the elderly.

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“…While the didactic teaching of gerodontology appears to be addressed in undergraduate curricula, a number of experts have recommended greater exposure to clinical management at the undergraduate level. In particular, they highlight the need to train undergraduates to manage frail older adults and provide greater opportunities for inter-disciplinary care [ 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Providing Oral Healthcare to Older Patients—Do We Have What It Takes?

Mata

Allen

2023

IJERPH

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Over the past decades, there has been an increase in the number of natural teeth that are maintained into older age, and this has represented an increase in the need for more complex dental treatment for this population. A trained workforce is needed in order to provide dental care to the different groups of elderly. Currently, the undergraduate training in gerodontology offered by dental schools seems to be limited, with great variation among dental schools worldwide. Given the heterogeneity of elderly groups, it is unlikely that new graduates from dental schools can be deemed competent to deal with the different groups of elderly. In this article, barriers to oral healthcare’s provision to older adults are discussed, including the lack of appropriately trained dental professionals. Training pathways are discussed, including the preparation of undergraduate education to provide a suitable foundation to be developed further in postgraduate education. It is also proposed that older adults are classified according to their dependency level and each level is managed by properly trained dental professionals. In order to upskill general dental practitioners to care for these patients, postgraduate certification programmes could be structured to provide additional training. Furthermore, the development of geriatric oral health educational programmes for non-dental healthcare workers is recommended.

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Undergraduate Dental Education in Gerodontology in Germany between 2004 and 2019—A case for compulsory teaching?

Cited by 9 publications

References 19 publications

Student Perceptions of Age and Ageing—An Evaluation of Swiss Dental Students Receiving Education in Gerodontology

Student Perceptions of Age and Ageing—An Evaluation of Swiss Dental Students Receiving Education in Gerodontology

Geriatric Dentistry

Providing Oral Healthcare to Older Patients—Do We Have What It Takes?

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