NUCOHS Opens Specialized Geriatric Dental Clinic at Alexandra Hospital

Singapore: A specialist geriatric dental clinic opened at Alexandra Hospital in Singapore to provide dental treatment for elderly patients with pre-existing or cognitive and other chronic conditions. 

This $2 million satellite clinic set up by the National University Centre for Oral Health Singapore (NUCOHS) offers basic non-surgical management, oral hygiene instruction, and minimally invasive procedures such as tooth decay management and extractions, which are suitable for seniors who are not seen by regular dentists due to existing medical conditions such as diabetes, dementia, and cancer that require special considerations and treatment plans. 

Specialized Dental Care for Elderly Patients

Oral disease in seniors can increase the risk and worsen the control of common conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The NUCOHS dental clinic at Alexandra Hospital in Singapore is the first specialized geriatric dental clinic to treat elderly patients with pre-existing or cognitive and other chronic conditions in western Singapore. The clinic offers basic non-surgical management and oral hygiene instruction, as well as minimally invasive procedures such as tooth decay management and extractions, which are suitable for seniors who are not seen by regular dentists due to existing medical conditions such as diabetes, dementia, and cancer that require special considerations and treatment plans. 

According to AH chief executive Jason Phua, oral disease in seniors can increase the risk and worsen the control of common conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, leading to a decline in the quality of life. By providing specialized dental care to elderly patients, the clinic aims to prevent and treat oral disease and improve the overall health of seniors.

Facilities and Equipment

The clinic has five treatment rooms equipped with specialized geriatric dental equipment and facilities, including a wheelchair-tilter to enable patients with mobility issues to remain in their wheelchairs during treatment, en-suite radiographic equipment, and hoists to transfer patients safely when needed. 

The clinic can also accommodate bed-bound hospital patients taken down on trolley beds from their wards for treatment. The facilities and equipment are designed to cater to the specific needs of elderly patients with pre-existing or cognitive and other chronic conditions, allowing them to receive treatment comfortably and safely.

Subsidized Rates for Gertiatric Dental Treatments

The NUCOHS dental clinic at Alexandra Hospital provides specialized geriatric dental treatments at subsidized rates when patients are referred by polyclinics. The siting of the geriatric-dentistry specialist clinic at AH, staffed by dental surgeons and specialists from NUCOHS, is beneficial as it is in Queenstown, where about 20 per cent of the area’s 10,000 resident population is aged 65 and above. 

In addition, the NUS Faculty of Dentistry offers a Graduate Diploma in Geriatric Dentistry to train qualified dentists to manage the oral health of the elderly, especially those with complex needs. The opening of this specialized geriatric dental clinic is a step towards improving access to dental care in the community for Singapore’s ageing population, especially those with multiple medical conditions, to facilitate their co-management across dental, medical, and other allied healthcare professionals.