This opinion paper reviews trends in oral disease and its management in older people, in response to a challenge, in an editorial in The Lancet, to the traditional curative model of dentistry and the publication of the most recent Adult Dental Health Survey. It highlights the challenge of an ageing population and its oral health needs and management. Professional issues in relation to preventive care are discussed with emphasis on the importance of identifying patient risk and providing preventive care, together with improving the uptake of dental care among older people.
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