Underhill, Susan M.2023-03-242023-03-2419831983(OCoLC)38562411b21870779https://hdl.handle.net/2144/45817Thesis (M.Sc.)--Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry, 1983 (Dental Public Health).Includes bibliographical references (leaves 43-44).Demographic data indicates that the elderly population of the United States has been increasing in size and will continue to do so. Studies indicate that health professionals possess negative stereotypes for this age group and are generally disinclined to accept them as patients. Current trends in professional health education attempt to minimize these attitudes through interdisciplinary instruction and increased clinical experience with the elderly. An attitudinal survey designed by the investigator was administered at the beginning and end of a four month time interval to the second, third, and fourth year students at a private dental school in Boston, Massachusetts. The purpose was to determine if there was a difference in the attitudes toward the elderly held by students at the three stages in their dental education. In addition, the effect that an extramural geriatric screening program had on the attitudes of an experimental group of participants was evaluated through a comparison of their attitudes to those of a non-participating control group of students. Results of the survey indicated that a statistical difference in attitudes did exist among students in the class levels which was incrememtally positive over the three years. Data analysis also indicated that participation in the extramural geriatric program did not further increase the existing positive attitudes of the experimental group of students.en-USThis work is being made available in OpenBU by permission of its author, and is available for research purposes only. All rights are reserved to the author.Dental care for agedThesis/Dissertation