Survey of Knowledge of Stakeholders in Oral Healthcare for the Elderly

Abstract

Stakeholders in oral healthcare for the elderly have various backgrounds (dentistry, aging, and government). Collaboration between these three fields of professionals requires a common background of knowledge. The aim of this survey was to provide an evaluation of the level of stakeholders’ knowledge of programs and resources that impact access and funding for oral health care for the elderly. An online survey was completed by 37 respondents (21 dentistry, 10 aging, 6 government) with a response rate of 50%. Descriptive statistics were reported. Results demonstrate tremendous variation among professional fields regarding knowledge and involvement in existing programs, policies, and agencies.  Stakeholders from all three professional fields need first to be educated and familiarized with existing programs and resources in order to effectively collaborate to improve access to oral healthcare for the elderly.


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