Results showed that access to dental care was rated "fair-to-poor" by 1 in 3 respondents. Nearly three-fourths -- 71 percent -- of urban dwellers indicated they had seen a dentist within the past year, compared to 58 percent of rural dwellers. Twenty percent of rural dwellers and 15 percent of urban dwellers had not seen a dentist for six or more years.

Zittel-Palamara said the ultimate goal of the study is to encourage dentists to integrate social workers and other disciplines into their practices to help senior patients obtain better access to dental care. In addition, the study aims to spur development of programs to help seniors get dental insurance, she said, and to establish the need for a mobile dental van to serve local senior-center sites.

Additional contributors to the study were Jayne E. Maugans, Ph.D., of Houghton College; and Yoly M. Gonzalez, D.D.S., Meelin Chin-Kit Wells, D.D.S., James A. Wysocki, MSW, Elaine Davis, Ph.D., and Frank Scannapieco, D.D.S., Ph.D., all from the UB dental school.

Wysocki is director of the CARES program. Zittel-Palamara previously co-directed the program with him.

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Contact: Lois Baker
ljbaker@buffalo.edu
716-645-5000 x1417
University at Buffalo
7-Apr-2006