Journal of the California Dental Association discusses the role of dental providers in overcoming barriers to oral health for older adults

The April 2019 issue of the Journal of the California Dental Association highlights the disparities seniors face in accessing adequate oral health care and addresses what dental providers can do to help reduce oral health complications in older adults.
“This issue concentrates on the diminishing access to oral health care for aging adults and focuses on what dental care providers can do to better care for seniors,” said Kerry K. Carney, DDS, editor-in-chief of the Journal.
The article “Older Adults: The Long and Winding Road To Address Their Needs” discusses the lack of dental coverage for seniors after retirement and innovative ways to approach the challenges older adults face in maintaining their oral health care. “On Lok PACE Integrates Oral Health Care as Part of Comprehensive Health Care for Seniors” reviews an alternative to nursing-home care that offers a comprehensive, community-based care system for older adults and provides them access to preventive dental services.
“The Gary and Mary West Senior Dental Center: Whole-Person Care by Community-Based Service Integration” describes a senior wellness center designed to provide accessible and affordable dental and medical care for vulnerable seniors and offers advice for dental providers interested in creating interprofessional models of care in their own communities.
“Strategies for Oral Health Care Practitioners To Manage Older Adults Through Care-Setting Transitions” reviews the changes and challenges oral health care professionals will encounter as older adults transition through stages of dependency and housing environments and strategies that should be utilized during those transitions to better care for seniors.
Additional articles examine a conceptual framework that can be used to address the complex oral health needs of seniors and the need for an interprofessional oral health education system, as well as a dental benefit in Medicare to better care for older adults.
The Journal is an award-winning peer-reviewed scientific publication that keeps dentists up to date about scientific advances, business management strategies and new products.
About the California Dental Association
The California Dental Association is the non-profit organization representing organized dentistry in California. Founded in 1870, CDA is committed to the success of our members in service to their patients and the public. CDA also contributes to the oral health of Californians through various comprehensive programs and advocacy. CDA’s membership consists of more than 27,000 dentists, making it the largest constituent of the American Dental Association. For more information, visit cda.org.