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Call for papers - Oral health in older adults

Guest Editors

Rodrigo A. Giacaman, DDS, PhD, University of Talca, Chile
Yoko Hasegawa, DDS, PhD, Niigata University, Japan
Soraya León, DDS, PhD, MSc, University of Talca, Chile

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 29 November 2024

BMC Geriatrics invites submissions to our Collection on Oral health in older adults.

Older adults are disproportionately affected by gum disease, oral cancer, untreated tooth decay, and edentulism. Poor oral health in this population can negatively impact activities of daily living, contributing to frailty and decreased quality of life. This collection aims to collate research exploring diverse facets of oral health in the aging population. We encourage submissions from various disciplines, including dentistry, public health, aging research, oncology, health service research, and health policy studies. 

New Content ItemThis Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Rodrigo A. Giacaman, DDS, PhD, University of Talca, Chile

Dr Rodrigo A. Giacaman is DDS, prosthodontist, Full Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Talca, Chile. He is founder of the Geriatric Dentistry Research Group (GIOG), the Master’s program in Geriatric Dentistry, and the Cariology unit in the University of Talca, the Chilean Academy of Cariology, the Latin American Gerodontology Research Group (GLIOG) of the IADR and the Gerodontology Society of Chile. Dr Giacaman was President of the Cariology Research Group of the IADR, Advisory Councilor of ORCA and is currently Associate Editor for Caries Research, Honorary professor at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Visiting Professor at ACTA, Netherlands, and Adjunct Professor at the Center for Integrative Global Oral Health - University of Pennsylvania, USA. Dr Giacaman has authored more than 120 publications and is regularly invited as national and international keynote speaker.

Yoko Hasegawa, DDS, PhD, Niigata University, Japan

Dr Yoko Hasegawa is a dentist and prosthodontist who has conducted research in the areas of clinical oral physiology and geriatric dentistry. Over the years, while practicing dentistry at a university hospital, Dr Hasegawa has gained extensive experience in conducting large community surveys of older adults and in experimental studies on eating. Dr Hasegawa aspires to contribute to the prevention of dementia by understanding the neural activity changes induced by eating.
 

Soraya León, DDS, PhD, MSc, University of Talca, Chile

Dr Soraya León is DDS, Associate Professor, Director of the Geriatric Dentistry Research Group (GIOG) and Director of Graduate Program in Geriatric Dentistry at the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Talca, Chile. She is also Adjunct Professor at the Center for Integrative Global Oral Health, University of Pennsylvania, USA, President of Gerodontology Society of Chile, member of the European College Gerontology (ECG), International Association for Dental Research (IADR), IADR Geriatric Oral Research Group (GORG) and Geriatrics and Gerontology Society of Chile. Dr León has authored several publications and is regularly invited as national and international keynote speaker. Currently she is also editor and reviewer for numerous national and international journals.

About the Collection

BMC Geriatrics invites submissions to our Collection on Oral health in older adults.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently stated that almost half of the global population suffer from oral health disorders.  Older adults are disproportionately affected by gum disease, oral cancer, untreated tooth decay, and edentulism. Poor oral health in this population can negatively impact activities of daily living, contributing to frailty and decreased quality of life. Therefore this collection aims to collate research exploring diverse facets of oral health in the aging population.

We encourage submissions from various disciplines, including dentistry, public health, aging research, oncology, health service research, and health policy studies. Potential topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • The impact of oral conditions on systemic health and their potential associations with age-related diseases
  • Age-specific considerations of factors that contribute to oral health; including dietary habits, oral hygiene practices, and environmental factors
  • Potential links between oral health status and cognitive function in older adults
  • Efficacy of various evidence-based interventions and preventive measures in maintaining oral health in older adults
  • Strategies to promote oral health and raise awareness about the importance of maintaining good oral health in a geriatric population
  • Diagnostics and early identification of oral cancer, dental erosion, decay, tooth loss, and other disorders
  • Current strategies for the management of oral prevalent conditions in the context of aging and elderly populations
  • Barriers to accessing oral health care
  • Public policies to advance oral health for older adults, especially for those with limited functionality
  • Advances and experiences in the implementation of geriatric dentistry contents in the curriculum of dental school


Oral health is integral to the overall well-being of older adults, influencing nutrition, speech, and quality of life. As the aging population continues to grow, it becomes crucial to deepen our understanding of the topic to be able to address the systemic health connections, prevent complications, develop informed health policies and promote functional independence of older people.

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  1. Oral health problems are common among care-dependent older adults living in nursing homes. Developing strategies to prevent the deterioration of oral health is therefore crucial to avoid pain and tooth loss. A...

    Authors: Lisa Bellander, Eva Angelini, Pia Andersson, Catharina Hägglin and Helle Wijk
    Citation: BMC Geriatrics 2024 24:803
    Content type: Research Published on:

  2. Participation by all actors involved in health planning is a prerequisite for person-centred care and healthy ageing. Understanding the multiple knowledge needs and the values that shape oral health assessment...

    Authors: Jessica Persson Kylén, Sara Björns, Catharina Hägglin, Ingela Grönbeck-Lindén, Laurence Piper and Inger Wårdh
    Citation: BMC Geriatrics 2024 24:779
    Content type: Research Published on:

  3. Oral health has been associated with general health conditions, but few longitudinal studies evaluated the effect of dentition status on gait speed.

    Authors: Fabiola Bof de Andrade, Renata Lara Freitas, Yeda Aparecida de Oliveira Duarte, Cesar de Oliveira, Wael Sabbah, Eduardo Bernabe and Jair Lício Ferreira Santos
    Citation: BMC Geriatrics 2024 24:734
    Content type: Research Published on:

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Oral health in older adults" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.