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Friday, May 24, 2013 Geriatric dentistry deals with special
knowledge, attitudes and technical skills required in the
provision of oral health care to older adults. Currently over
13.7% of the U.S. population is aged 65+ years, and this
proportion will increase to 23% by the year 2040. The state of
Ohio is one of nine states where the older adult population
constitutes an increasingly significant percentage of the
population. Oral health is particularly important among the
elderly. They are more susceptible to systemic conditions,
making them predisposed to developing oral diseases which can
directly or indirectly lead to malnutrition, altered
communication, further susceptibility to infectious diseases,
and diminished quality of life. Today, approximately 40% of
older adults are edentulous (toothless), while the remainin