Bulletin of Dental Education Article
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- Bulletin of Dental Education | January 2025, Volume 58, Issue 1
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New Online Course Launches to Meet Rising Demands for Dementia-friendly Dental Care
Training course was developed by Minnesota-based experts in dementia and geriatric care; Now available online worldwide to dentists, dental staff and students.
In the United States alone, more than 7 million Americans are living with dementia. As this staggering number continues to rise worldwide, Trellis, a Minnesota-based organization with a mission to assist individuals to age well and develop the capacity of communities to care for an aging population, announced a new, online training course. It was developed by Minnesotans to equip dental professionals, students and academic institutions with best practices for dementia dental care.
The six-hour, self-paced training, Creating a Dementia-friendly Dental Practice: An In-depth Training Program, is now available for free online from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry (U of M SOD).
“We all know that good oral health is vital to overall health. It shouldn’t be compromised because of dementia,” said Maren Levad, Dementia Friendly Initiatives Program Manager at Trellis. “We invite all dental professionals and students to participate in training and join the movement of making our communities dementia-friendly.”
Led by Stephen K. Shuman, D.D.S., M.S., Professor and Director of the Division of Hospital and Special Care Dentistry and the Oral Health Services for Older Adults Program at U of M SOD, and developed by multidisciplinary experts in dementia care, the training offers practical, evidence-based and immediately applicable strategies for dental professionals to improve care. The course is offered through the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry’s Continuing Dental Education Program, an American Dental Association Continuing Education Program (ADA CERP) Recognized Provider.
Free, Self-paced Training With Option for CE Credits
The online training course is free, with an option to earn six continuing education credits for a $300 tuition fee. Training includes illustrated lectures with video demonstrations, real-world case studies, plus knowledge checks and short quizzes. Course highlights include:
● How to recognize and assess signs of dementia in a dental setting and communicate concerns;
● Creating a safe and dementia-friendly physical and emotional environment;
● Addressing ethical and legal concerns, including consent processes and capacity assessment;
● Developing effective patient management and communication strategies;
● Developing tailored and realistic dental treatment plans;
● Providing support and education for care partners; and
● Connecting patients and care partners with appropriate community resources.
For more information and to register, go the program’s website.
About Dementia-friendly Community Initiatives from Trellis
Dementia-friendly Dental Practices training is part of a larger initiative from Trellis to foster dementia-friendly communities. Dementia-friendly Dental Practices training resources have been developed through a collaborative initiative including the HRSA-funded University of Minnesota Northstar Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program, the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, the Minnesota Dental Association and ACT on Alzheimer’s, a program of Trellis with support from Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation.
Courtesy of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry
Published on August 13, 2025