The changing complexity of geriatric health care and the implications for oral health care for the individual and community.

Abstract

Geriatric healthcare has already changed. We are living longer and we are enduring those additional years with more severe chronic disease and a greater number of chronic diseases. Current mechanisms to improve oral health care for individuals and the community are considered in this paper. We are still yet to measure the effectiveness of these changes. Even more complex is the confusion and conjecture about what we should be measuring and whether what we measure actually has an impact on the quality of life.