[Communication in the dental practice. Communicating with older patients]. / Serie: Communicatie in de tandartspraktijk. Communiceren met de oudere patiënt.

The ageing of the population in the Netherlands and in Belgium and the growing number of older people who still have their own teeth mean that dentists are seeing older patients in their dental practices increasingly often. Loss of cognitive abilities can hinder communication with the patients. Dementia and care-resistant behaviour demand a special patient-centred approach. In addition, frail older people are often dependent on carers or volunteers who actively participate in the conversation when the patient visits the dentist. This article addresses issues dentists should take into account in such cases. It also makes suggestions about how most effectively to direct communications with older patients and/or their companions.