Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

The number of older adults retaining their natural teeth is rapidly increasing worldwide. However, with advanced age, there is an increased risk for community institutionalization in which oral health is largely neglected. Dental geriatrics in public health can focus on health and institutionalized elders, and combined community service learning - CSL, can expose undergraduate dental students to the needs of this population as a public health issue. Research is still needed to evaluate the educational aspects of CSL geriatric education on the students as learners and health care providers, on the geriatric community as service recipients, and on public health program and policies. It is opportune to encourage discussions on these topics and on the need to continuously implement dental geriatrics beyond the classroom. The main objective of this symposium is to present different aspects and experiences of dental geriatric education aimed at: sharing the different approaches taken for CSL dental geriatrics across dental schools; promoting dialogue on the joys and challenges in implementing CSL within different geriatric dental curricula and its impact on health policies and programs; sharing speakers' experiences in implementing and evaluating reflections as an educational tool for students' leaning and a venue for community engagement in dental geriatrics. The educational objective of this symposium is to engage policy makers and dental schools in discussing CSL and reflection within geriatric dental education. This symposium is geared towards undergraduate and graduate students, educators and teachers, policy makers and advocates, and investigators directly or indirectly involved with dental geriatrics. It is anticipated that this symposium will prompt dialogue, stimulate interest, and facilitate future work in the area of CSL and reflections in dental geriatrics.