Critical skills assessment for the treatment of geriatric patients: <i>Geriatric Dentistry</i>

SummaryThis paper reports the results of a needs assessment survey conducted to identify education objectives for the dentist geriatric fellowship program initiated by the Veterans Administration in 1982. A cascading sample design was used to identify 82 persons recognized as experts in geriatric dentistry. Each was asked to list five knowledge, skill, and attitudinal objectives considered most crucial for comptence of the geriatric dentist. The 30 major critical competencies cited and their relative frequencies are presented as a kind of definition of the competent geriatric dentist and a guide to planning and evaluation of geriatric dentistry programs