講演情報
[ISY-2]The Current Status and Future Directions of Geriatric Dentistry in Thailand
○Matana Kettratad1,2 (1. Thammasat University, Gerodontology and Special Care Dentistry Collaborating Centre (TUGS)、2. The Thai Society of Special Care Dentistry (ThSCD))
【Biography】
Matana Kettratad is the first and current president of the Thai Society of Special Care Dentistry established in 2024. She has been a program director of Gerodontology and Special Care Dentistry at Thammasat University since 2009. She graduated Doctor of Dental Surgery from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Subsequently, she obtained a Doctoral degree in Dental Science from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada. She was also trained as a General Practice Resident focusing on Geriatric Dentistry from UBC, working in multiple sites of hospitals and long-term care facilities in Greater Vancouver. She has been actively involved in the development of policies, services, education, and research regarding Gerodontology in Thailand. She serves as an advocate for gerodontology, representing the discipline in various national and international meetings. Her complete record of research contributions is documented under the following ORCID identifier: 0000-0002-8789-4080.
Matana Kettratad is the first and current president of the Thai Society of Special Care Dentistry established in 2024. She has been a program director of Gerodontology and Special Care Dentistry at Thammasat University since 2009. She graduated Doctor of Dental Surgery from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Subsequently, she obtained a Doctoral degree in Dental Science from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada. She was also trained as a General Practice Resident focusing on Geriatric Dentistry from UBC, working in multiple sites of hospitals and long-term care facilities in Greater Vancouver. She has been actively involved in the development of policies, services, education, and research regarding Gerodontology in Thailand. She serves as an advocate for gerodontology, representing the discipline in various national and international meetings. Her complete record of research contributions is documented under the following ORCID identifier: 0000-0002-8789-4080.
Thailand currently represents one of the most rapidly aging nations globally, maintaining the highest proportion of elderly citizens within ASEAN. One in five people in Thailand are now over the age of 60, and roughly one in six are over the age of 65. In 2019, the elderly population has surpassed the cohort of citizens under the age of 15. This trend is exacerbated by the lowest recorded of fertility rate globally (1.08 nationally and 0.7 with urban centers). Furthermore, while life expectancy continues to rise, Healthy Life Expectancy
has not kept pace (an average of 9 years lived with disability). Such demographic shifts highlight growing needs for geriatric oral healthcare, particularly for those characterized by frailty and functional dependency. This presentation delineates the current landscape and future trajectories of geriatric dentistry in Thailand. It provides a comprehensive overview of national policy frameworks, healthcare delivery systems, and strategies for professional education and workforce capacity building. Furthermore, the talk highlights key completed research projects and ongoing initiatives. It also identifies struggles and facilitating factors unique to the Thai context. Finally, it outlines short-term operational plans, as well as long-term visions for the advancement of the discipline.
Keywords: dental care for aged; geriatric dentistry; special care dentistry
has not kept pace (an average of 9 years lived with disability). Such demographic shifts highlight growing needs for geriatric oral healthcare, particularly for those characterized by frailty and functional dependency. This presentation delineates the current landscape and future trajectories of geriatric dentistry in Thailand. It provides a comprehensive overview of national policy frameworks, healthcare delivery systems, and strategies for professional education and workforce capacity building. Furthermore, the talk highlights key completed research projects and ongoing initiatives. It also identifies struggles and facilitating factors unique to the Thai context. Finally, it outlines short-term operational plans, as well as long-term visions for the advancement of the discipline.
Keywords: dental care for aged; geriatric dentistry; special care dentistry