The development of geriatric dental education programs in Canada: an update.

The Canadian population is aging, and the oral health needs of this aging population have changed. The majority of older people are now dentate, which means that they continue to need the services of a dentist, specifically dentists who have been trained in geriatric oral health care. This paper reviews the history of geriatric training in Canada. Such training remains inadequate at both the predoctoral level and the postdoctoral or fellowship level. If geriatric or special needs dentistry were to be accepted as a specialty program, it might become more attractive as a career path for dentists.