Geriatric Oral Research Award Presented To Michael MacEntee

Main Category: Dentistry
Also Included In: Seniors / Aging
Article Date: 18 Mar 2009 - 7:00 PDT

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Dr. Michael MacEntee, from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, is being presented with the 2009 International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Geriatric Oral Research Award at the 87th General Session & Exhibition of the IADR in Miami, Florida, USA, on April 1, 2009.

Dr. MacEntee has conducted outstanding research over a broad spectrum of important topics in geriatric oral research. His 111 publications include contributions in biomaterials, clinical science, and epidemiology, including the health of elderly populations. A key characteristic of Dr. MacEntee's approach has been its multidisciplinarity, an approach that is particularly suitable for investigating the complex problems associated with aging. He has directed research teams including colleagues from nursing, medicine, social work, health care and epidemiology to obtain insights into the needs of the elderly using random samples of patients in long-term-care facilities as well as elders living independently.

Dr. MacEntee's team identified conflicting priorities of care-aides, nurses, administrators and dental personnel in long-termcare facilities. These conflicts helped to explain the frequent neglect of elders' oral hygiene. His team has also identified oral hygiene, access to dental treatment, and maintenance of general health as the principal oral-health-related concerns of older people. In randomized clinical trials, his team showed that daily mouth rinses with 0.2% sodium fluoride will inhibit and even reverse the destruction of dental decay in very frail elders. In another clinical trial, he demonstrated that a single endosseous implant in the mandible is an effective treatment to stabilize and retain complete dentures in elderly patients.

Dr. MacEntee has contributed to knowledge about the status of oral health and about ways of managing oral disease, impairment and disability in old age. His research has demonstrated the dominant influence of psychosocial factors on the status of oral health and on the success or failure of standard dental treatment. The qualitative research methods that his team developed offer a novel and productive approach to explaining, controlling and managing psychosocial influences toward a positive and satisfying quality of life in old age.

The Geriatric Oral Research Award consists of a monetary prize and plaque and is generously supported by Sunstar Americas, Inc. The award is designed to stimulate, encourage, and recognize outstanding research accomplishments in the field of geriatric oral research, is one of the 16 IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards, and is one of the highest honors bestowed by IADR.

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About the International Association for Dental Research

The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) is a nonprofit organization with more than 11,300 individual members worldwide, dedicated to: (1) advancing research and increasing knowledge to improve oral health, (2) supporting the oral health research community, and (3) facilitating the communication and application of research findings for the improvement of oral health worldwide.

Source: Ingrid Thomas
International & American Association for Dental Research

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