Research from UZ Gent Highlights Growing Demand for On-Site Oral Care.
Elderly residents in Belgian care homes increasingly need access to mobile dental services, according to new research by UZ Gent dentist Lynn Janssens.
Janssens’ study shows that the number of toothless residents has dropped significantly over the years. In 2010, 42% of care home residents had no natural teeth. By 2023, that number had declined to 29%.
While this is a positive trend, it also creates new challenges. As more elderly individuals keep their teeth, the need for complex dental care—such as fillings and extractions—increases.
“Residents are keeping more of their teeth, but this also means that fillings are more often needed, or teeth may need to be removed,” said Janssens.
Many elderly people in care homes find it difficult to visit a dentist due to physical and logistical barriers. To address this issue, UZ Gent launched a mobile dental service called Gerodent, which brings dental teams directly to care homes.
For the past 15 years, Gerodent has operated in East and West Flanders. Dental professionals—including dentists, assistants, and hygienists—work on-site with care home staff to deliver essential oral care. The impact has been notable. In homes using Gerodent, 70% of residents maintain good to acceptable oral hygiene. In contrast, only 32% of residents in homes without the service achieve the same results.
“Accessible dental care improves residents’ well-being. They eat better, feel more comfortable, and have more social interactions,” Janssens explained.
However, the programme’s future remains uncertain. About one-third of the team’s working hours are spent on travel and logistics. These costs are not covered by the current reimbursement system and are instead absorbed by care homes, many of which are already under financial strain.
Attracting new dentists to the programme is also difficult. The work is physically demanding, the pay is lower than in private practice, and patients often have complex health conditions.
“Despite these challenges, our dentists find great fulfilment in their work due to the collaboration with care staff and the gratitude from residents,” said Janssens.
Gerodent is now calling for a new funding model to ensure the programme’s sustainability and expansion.
“The demand is high and will only grow,” Janssens warned. “We must not leave this group out in the cold.”
