On Lok PACE Integrates Oral Health Care as Part of Comprehensive Health Care for Seniors

ABSTRACT

This article demonstrates how the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) model, as exemplified by On Lok PACE, integrates dentistry with an interdisciplinary adult day health center to provide medically necessary dental coverage for skilled-nursing eligible older adults living in the community. This comprehensive, federally funded, cost-effective model targets multiple barriers to oral health care, ensuring participants have access to regular preventive dental services, which reduces oral and other health complications.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Diana Teng

Diana Teng, MSN, RN, AGNP, is a board-certified adult geriatric nurse practitioner who graduated from the University of California, San Francisco, in 2016. She is part of the interdisciplinary team at the Institute on Aging, one of On Lok’s PACE centers, and is a volunteer clinical preceptor for UCSF’s nurse practitioner students.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Ms. Teng is employed by On Lok’s PACE center.

Bonnie Lederman

Bonnie Lederman, DDS, is a clinical staff dentist at On Lok Lifeways, senior health services (PACE). She is adjunct faculty for preventive and restorative dental sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry and adjunct faculty in the department of diagnostic sciences at the University of Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. Dr. Lederman is also a Veterans Affairs geriatric dentist in a community long-term care facility in San Francisco.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Dr. Lederman is employed by On Lok’s PACE center.

Charlotte Carlson

Charlotte Carlson, MD, MPH, is an associate medical director at On Lok Lifeways in San Francisco.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Dr. Carlson is employed by On Lok’s PACE center.