Document 0920
 DOCN  M9540920
 TI    Is dental practice science based?
 DT    9504
 AU    Douglass CW; Department of Oral Health and Epidemiology, Harvard School
       of; Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02115.
 SO    J Am Coll Dent. 1994 Fall-Winter;61(2):13-6. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/95130845
 AB    This paper explores the thesis that the changing medical needs of dental
       patients, advances in biomedical research, and the confluence of the
       financing of medical and dental care will result in closer linkages
       between the medical and dental care delivery systems during the next
       century. Five trends have been documented in support of this thesis: the
       increasing number of elderly and their retention of teeth means there is
       a greater need for restorative dental care than in previous generations;
       the elderly have chronic diseases and are taking more medications;
       younger patients are presenting more frequently with infectious,
       systemic diseases such as HIV/AIDS. New scientific discoveries are
       opening new possibilities for patient care, which generate even higher
       expectations on the part of future consumers of medical and dental
       services. The health and fitness trend is not a fad; new knowledge
       regarding diet, nutrition, and exercise is identifying systemic risk
       factors related to common oral pathologies. Medical and dental educators
       are paying increased attention to the application of basic sciences to
       patient care. HMOs are increasing their market share of medical care
       delivery and expanding their services with preventive care and total
       patient care, including dental services. Data are provided documenting
       that dentists see these trends occurring in their private practices. The
       paper concludes that the application of advances in science and
       technology to oral health will improve the quality of dentistry.
       However, only new, effective preventive agents will decrease the cost of
       care, while improved diagnostics and restorative technologies could
       increase dental care costs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 DE    Attitude of Health Personnel  Attitude to Health  Delivery of Health
       Care/ORGANIZATION & ADMIN  Dental Care/STANDARDS/*TRENDS  Dental Care
       for Chronically Ill/TRENDS  Education, Dental/TRENDS  Human  Quality
       Assurance, Health Care  Research  JOURNAL ARTICLE

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       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).