Symposium 3 -
Preventive Strategies and Functional Assessment in Geriatric Oral Healthcare
Gabriel Lee Keng Yan
Gabriel is a dedicated dental educator, clinician, and public health advocate committed to improving oral healthcare for ageing and underserved populations. As a Senior Lecturer at the National University of Singapore (NUS), he has played a pivotal role in transforming geriatric dental education through innovative teaching approaches education such as the use of age-simulation activities and community fieldwork to cultivate empathy and practical skills among students. Gabriel also serves as the Program Director of the Graduate Diploma in Geriatric Dentistry, where he leads the training of dental graduates to address the oral health challenges of older adult patients. His clinical role at the National University Centre for Oral Health includes hospital dentistry and managing adults with special healthcare needs. Outside of his academic duties, Gabriel leads a pro-bono domiciliary dental service in several nursing homes for patients that face significant barriers in accessing care.
Lecture Topic: Promoting Preventive Oral Healthcare among the Frail and Functionally Dependent Older Adults
This lecture addresses the unique challenges and effective strategies for maintaining oral health in frail and functionally dependent older adults. As this population often contends with multiple chronic conditions, polypharmacy, and cognitive or physical impairments, they face increased risks for oral diseases such as caries and periodontal disease. Key topics of this lecture include the identification of risk factors that are more commonly experienced in older adults with physical or cognitive limitations, and emphasizes the importance of person-centered preventive measures, including principles of planning a preventive plan appropriate for the individual.
Matana Kettratad
Matana Kettratad is currently a Program Director of Gerodontology and Special Care Dentistry at the Faculty of Dentistry, Thammasat University. She is also Head of Research and Innovation of Dental Department, Thammasat University Hospital. Dr. Kettratad was recently elected as the first president of Thai Society for Special Care Dentistry. She received a DDS from Chulalongkorn University and had been working as a lecturer for Department of Community Dentistry of Thammasat University since 2000. Then she received her PhD and completed a residency training in Dental Geriatrics from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada in 2008. She was board certified as a fellow by the Royal College of Dental Surgeon of Thailand (RCDST) in Dental Public Health and has served as training and examination committee since 2020. In addition, she was recently appointed by the RCDST as one of the 15 founders, trainers and examiners for the newly recognized specialist boards of 1) Gerodontology and Special Care Dentistry as well as 2) Primary Care Dentistry or Family Dentistry.
Lecture Topic: An Overview and Updates on the Concept of Oral Functional Decline and Oral Frailty
Intuitively, oral function would constitute of chewing, swallowing, and communicating (smiling and speaking). However, good condition of oral health such as having adequate saliva and moist mucosa may also function as mucosal barrier to systemic infection. Therefore, the conceptualization of oral function and its physiologic changes i.e. oral frailty is complicated. The operational definition of oral function
and oral frailty is still in flux. This study aims for summarizing the development of their definition and measurement in relation to also the concept of general health and frailty. In addition, the current evidence regarding the association of oral health items and physical frailty will also be presented.
Archana Pradhan
Associate Professor Dr. Archana is the Program Director of Doctor of Clinical Dentistry and Stream Coordinator of Special Needs Dentistry (SND) at the University of Sydney. She provides care to people with special needs and the elderly in private, public and mobile dental services. She gained her research experience from the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (ARCPOH), where she was the investigator and examiner for research involving people with disability and aged care residents. She was the lead for People with Disabilities, Australia’s National Oral Health Plan (2015 – 2024). She initiated and consolidated the development of multiple new placements for undergraduate and postgraduate students, by developing relationships with external agencies, and facilitated referral pathways for older people and people with disability at The University of Queensland and University of Sydney. As an active member of the Australia and New Zealand Academy of Special Needs Dentistry (ANZASND) and Australian Society of Special Care in Dentistry (ASSCID), she led and contributed to several consultations and submissions including the Royal Commission for Disability and Aged Care. Her passion is to translate academic interprofessional education into practice and form successful partnerships within and across health and community networks.
Lecture Topic: Silver diamine fluoride: extending the spectrum of preventive geriatric dental care
This presentation will provide a brief background of the several formulations of silver fluoride and their indications for a wide range of patients from the children to the elderly. Various protocols, contraindications and precautions needed will be discussed. Selected clinical cases will demonstrate the use of silver fluoride in reducing tooth sensitivity, prevention of dental caries and “off label” use in arresting caries. Extending the spectrum of preventive geriatric dental care, silver fluoride can be used in various clinical situations (dry mouth, high caries risk, difficult to access/treat dental carious lesions, behavioural challenges, medical conditions that affect mouth opening or where extractions are contraindicated, palliative care); in non-dental settings like residential aged care facilities and special health circumstances with reduced aerosols and minimal infection control implications.
Lindawati S Kusdhany
Professor Lindawati S Kusdhany is a teaching staff at the Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry Universitas Indonesia and the Director of Academic Quality Assurance Universitas Indonesia . She obtained her BDS degree from the Faculty of Dentistry Universitas Indonesia (1982-1987) and her prosthodontics specialist degree from the Faculty of Dentistry Universitas Indonesia (1994-1997). She completed the Doctoral Program also from the Faculty of Dentistry Universitas Indonesia (2001- 2003). She is now a Professor in Prosthodontics and Geriatric Dentistry At the Faculty of Dentistry Universitas Indonesia since 2011. She is the former Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry Universitas Indonesia (2018-2022). She is now a member of the Indonesian Board of Prosthodontics, the Asian Board of Prosthodontics, and now the chairman of the Indonesian Association of Gerodontology. Until now, she has produced 96 international publications and several copyrights.
Lecture Topic: Comprehensive Geriatric Patient Assessment Implication for Dental and Oral Care in Older Person
The global population of older adults continues to grow, leading to increased medical complexities, reduced mobility, cognitive decline, and other challenges. Improved medical management of various health conditions among older persons has created a rising demand for dentists with extensive knowledge of the oral manifestations of systemic diseases. Dentists must assess whether they are adequately prepared to serve their aging patients. When treating older persons, dentists should be aware of multiple common oral conditions. A Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is a multidimensional, interdisciplinary tool used to evaluate the medical, functional, and psychological status of older individuals. This assessment is particularly important in dental and oral care, as aging is associated with various systemic diseases, functional limitations, and cognitive impairments that impact oral health. Given these challenges, dentists must integrate CGA principles into their practice. By incorporating CGA into dental care, practitioners can improve oral health outcomes, enhance quality of life, and contribute to the overall well-being of the aging population. Interdisciplinary collaboration among dentists, geriatricians, caregivers, and nutritionists is crucial to ensuring holistic care for older persons. All of these topics will be addressed in the presentation.