Career Tips & Advice

Tips to Help Dental Hygienists Connect With Elderly Patients

Concorde Staff

Concorde Staff

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Updated December 4, 2015. The information contained in this blog is current and accurate as of this date.
Elderly Dental

Do you know that by 2030, the Administration on Aging estimates that 20 percent of Americans will be age 65 or older? No segment of our population is more at risk for tooth decay and gum disease than people over 65 with natural teeth, and increased numbers of older adults are keeping their teeth longer.

A study by the Centers for Disease Control reported that only 15 percent of the elderly had satisfactory oral health. With increased attention placed on the proven relationship between oral health and physical health, it's a great time to be a dental hygienist. The U.S. needs large numbers of well-trained dental professionals to keep pace with the oral health care needs of the older adult population. Jobs in this sector are projected to grow at a higher-than-average rate of 33 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Special needs that seniors bring to your chair

Good dental hygiene is hard for many seniors to practice consistently. Arthritis in the hands or arms can make brushing and flossing painful. Seniors who struggle with memory loss might forget to care for their teeth. Others with dementia may become frightened or combative when asked to brush and floss at home.

Routine dental hygiene visits help elderly individuals retain the ability to smile, chew, and talk for as long as possible, maintaining their dignity and self- respect.

Here are some professional tips for establishing trust when you care for elderly patient's dental needs. You want to connect with the unique person seated in front of you emotionally as well as physically.

Seniors with dementia especially require warm emotional relating as opposed to logic or reasoning. Try to be personalized and creative in your approach, based on what you observe and sense about your patient:

  • Learn your patient's medical and personal history
  • Reveal a bit about your personal history, family, children, and funny pet anecdotes
  • Share faith-based, inspirational stories if that's important to each of you

Dr. Judith Jones, an American Dental Association expert on elder care, advises that nonverbal communication is more important than verbal when working with dementia patients who can easily misinterpret your actions. She stresses the importance of asking them to perform one action at a time:

The Family Caregiver Alliance suggests talking your patient through the steps, or modeling the steps yourself, of a behavior: "Give the person the toothbrush with toothpaste already on it and put your hand over theirs to start the up and down brushing movement to help get started."

Lastly, adopt the philosophy of Geriatric Dental Hygiene Services:

"We value the wisdom and experiences possessed by the elderly, and believe they deserve patience and respect."

Concorde's dental hygiene program can help you put your passion for helping others on the fast track to a rewarding career. Call today and one of our advisors can have you caring for the elderly in your community in as few as 17 months.

 

Interested In How To Become a Dental Hygienist?

Click here to explore a Concorde Dental Hygiene Program near you!

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Interested in learning more about our Dental Hygiene program? We have a Concorde representative ready to talk about what matters most to you. Get answers about start dates, curriculum, financial aid, scholarships and more!

  1. Program length may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course load. Please refer to current course catalog for more information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.

  2. Professional certification is not a requirement for graduation, may not be a requirement for employment nor does it guarantee employment.

  3. Financial aid is available to those who qualify but may not be available for all programs. Concorde does not guarantee financial aid or scholarship awards or amounts.

  4. Clinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.

  5. Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.

  6. Externships are a non-paid in-person learning experience, whose length and location may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee externship placement, graduation, post-externship employment or salary outcomes.