Geriatric dentistry ; Elderly ; Dental specialist ; Korea
Abstract
Korea became an aged society as of 2018, and will have plunged into a super-aged society by 2025. For the dental treatment of elderly patients, their general conditions are to be considered to make appropriate treatment plans and strategies, based on advanced knowledge of geriatric dentistry and clinical experience. In this study, the social demand for geriatric dental specialists for the treatment of the elderly of Korea is investigated by looking at their general health conditions, ADL (Activities of Daily Living), and IADL (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living), along with the review of the advanced training programs of geriatric dentistry in other countries.