A study to determine oral health needs of institutionalised elderly patients by non dental health care workers.

In this survey normative need as assessed by an examining dentist and the subject's own perceived need are compared with need assessed by untrained care workers. A method for simple assessment of elderly people on admission to day centres or elderly peoples' residential homes is described and its efficiency in use assessed during a survey of 41 subjects. Results suggest that use of a simple questionnaire can alert carers to problems requiring dental care--oral hygiene regimens can then be improved, dentures named and dentists called to provide treatment. Too often this type of initial assessment is neglected.