Smiles for Life: an oral health education resource.

摘要

The elderly, especially those who reside in long term care facilities, are particularly vulnerable to poor oral health, which negatively impacts their overall health. This article introduces a tool to aid medical directors in addressing their patients' oral health needs. Smiles for Life: A National Oral Health Curriculum has been widely used by physicians, medical residents, advance practice registered nurses, and physician assistants since its initial release in 2005. The newest module, Geriatric Oral Health, was released in October 2011. This module addresses the oral health needs of the elderly, oral health assessment, common oral conditions of the elderly, oral-systemic links particular to elderly, drug effects, caregiver issues, and encourages medico-dental collaboration.