RESUMEN

The development of measures for assessing oral health status is essential to the evolution and maturation of a scientific knowledge based in geriatric dentistry. Their development as branches of clinical care depends in part as ability to demonstrate an effective grasp of the problems of elderly and their solutions. Any strategy for altering the health status of elderly requires a technology for first assessing that health status and then detecting increments of progress. Development of geriatric oral health assessment index (GOHAI) is a self reported measure designed to assess the oral health problems of older individuals. The goal of geriatric assessment is to collect information that will facilitate diagnosis and suggest appropriate interventions. Such a measure would facilitate estimation of prevalence of oral functional problems in older individuals, It would also increase understanding of psychological impact of oral disease and provide a means for comparing the effectiveness of various dental treatment. It also emphasizes on social well being and reflects quality of life following replacement of missing teeth.