Dementia is one of the most significant public health issues we face today. The number of dementia patients is increasing, largely due to the aging of the population, and a new Alzheimer's disease patient is diagnosed every 67 seconds. Most of these patients possess natural dentitions and require our knowledge and understanding of the aging process and the stages of dementia to be treated successfully. There are multiple forms of dementia and each dementia patient requires an individualized treatment plan which changes with each appointment as the disease progresses. Changes in behavior, medications alertness, ability to cooperate with procedures and ability to perform oral hygiene all impact our ability to provide appropriate care. In addition, legal considerations of consent and behavior control become factors in treatment. This course will discuss the psychosocial and physical aspects of aging, the different forms of dementia, how to manage a dementia patient in each stage of dementia, and how to develop and adjust your treatment plan to maximize the oral health and quality of life of the dementia patient. Most dementia patients that you will treat are simply patients in your practice who have developed dementia. It is vital to have the tools to treat these patients successfully while minimizing stress to your patient, their caregivers and yourself.
