The elderly population is increasing rapidly in many developed countries. Currently the old age population in India is around 8% amounting to over 80 million and expected to reach 12% in 2025.

The world population of elderly individuals is expected to reach 830 million by 2025, of which India alone will contribute to 110 million, which means one out of every 7 aged persons in the world will be an Indian. Unfortunately, geriatric dental care in India is still in its infancy.

In addition, the dental curriculum of both undergraduate and post-graduate courses in India covers geriatric dentistry with a particular focus only on prosthetic dentistry and there is insufficient emphasis on restorative care and endodontics. A growth in geriatric dental education is evident from research, and this effort is necessary to prepare the dental workforce to meet the rising needs and use of dental services.

Older adults are more different from one another physiologically than are younger adults, which makes geriatric care a greater challenge for the clinician. This book provides some insight into assessing the common phenotypic presentations of older adults, for better understanding.

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