Oral Health and Dental Management

Meeting oral health care needs of the elderly and very old in the population

4^th Asia Pacific Congress & Expo on Dental and Oral Health

July 27-29, 2015 Brisbane, Australia

Leonie M Short

ScientificTracks Abstracts-Workshop: Oral Health Dent Manag

Abstract:

This workshop centers around one of the challenges of health care provision in the 21st century ? catering for the growing number of the elderly in the population. Not only is there a growing number of elderly and very old people but there is also an increase in the number of natural teeth as opposed to full upper and lower dentures for these people. This presents challenges and opportunities for private and public dental services in terms of how the oral health needs of these people are going to be met and by whom. This is a particularly important question for the elderly who are poor, housebound and who live in residential care facilities. Participants in this workshop will explore different facets of these challenges and share what is working and not working in different states/territories of Australia as well as different countries around the world. The professional development needs of carers and staff in residential care facilities will also be discussed.

Biography :

Leonie M Short is an Associate Professor and a registered dental practitioner ? dental therapist ? in Australia. She has completed a Certificate in Dental Therapy from the Westmead School of Dental Therapy in 1977, a Diploma in Clinical Hypnotherapy from the NSW School of Hypnotic Sciences in 1983, a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Education and Sociology from Wollongong University in 1986, and a Masters of Health Planning from the University of NSW in 1987. She is the Discipline Lead for the Bachelor of Oral Health degree at CQ University, and has numerous publications and research grants in excess of $1m. She is Treasurer and serves on the editorial board of the Australia and New Zealand Journal of Dental and Oral Health Therapy as well as on the editorial board of Australian Options.