Medical history and risk assessment.

Full Abstract

The "graying" of America has resulted in dentists treating increased numbers of elderly patients, 60% of whom are dentate. Since the majority of elderly persons has at least one chronic disease, this chapter addresses critical aspects of history taking and risk assessment for the geriatric dental patient. Self-administered questionnaires have limitations in the geriatric population and the medical history must emphasize functional status, medication use, social support, and financial considerations. Common chronic diseases which potentially increase the risk of adverse events for the geriatric patient undergoing dental care are discussed. Effective dentist-physician communication is pivotal to the successful management of the elderly dental patient.

Author information

Author/s: LaRocca, C D (CD); Jahnigen, D W (DW);

Affiliation: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Geriatric Evaluation and Management Unit, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver 80220, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Dental clinics of North America (Dent Clin North Am), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1997-Oct; vol 41 (issue 4) : pp 669-79

Dates: Created 1997/12/02; Completed 1997/12/02; Revised 2005/11/16;

PMID: 9344272, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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