Joke Duyck

Joke Duyck is Full professor at the department of Oral Health Sciences at KU Leuven, Belgium. She obtained her master in Dental Sciences in 1995 and acquired her specialist degree in Prosthodontics and a PhD in Medical Sciences in 2000 (KU Leuven & University of Oslo).  She started her research career with the study of peri-implant bone mechanobiology and its relevance for implant dentistry, but now focuses her research on gerodontology and policy supporting research aiming to optimise oral health for care-dependent persons. The pressing need to improve oral health care in care-dependent persons turned these research topics into her priority. Her main research focus is the development, evaluation and implementation of preventive oral care methods as well as methods to include oral in general care for care-dependent persons and frail older persons in particular. She is a board member of the Flemish Institute for Oral Health, which is a partner organisation of the Flemish Government that is responsible for taking initiatives in preventive oral health care. Within this organisation, she is responsible for preventive oral health care for frail older persons. Her teaching duties and clinical activities are situated in the field of prosthodontics, maxillofacial prosthodontics and gerodontology.

Preventive & Follow-up Care in Frail Elderly: Clinical Guidelines & Organisation of Care

As people become more frail and dependent on care as they age, maintaining oral health becomes a major challenge. Not only dental, but also medical and psychosocial risk factors play a role in this. First and foremost, this usually concerns people who have received restorative dental care during their lifetime that requires careful follow-up. In addition, ongoing preventive care is crucial. Also the general condition of patients requires special attention and appropriate care and support from care providers.

Prof. Duyck will explain the clinical recommendations and guidelines for this in her lecture. How this care can be organised in residential care homes will also be discussed on the basis of the methods used in Belgium.