The over-55 age group--the most rapidly expanding portion of the population--until recently has been the least understood patient group treated in the dental office. During the last decade, the special dental care needs of geriatric patients have been the subject of many research efforts. Understanding the interactions between the systemic health problems and disease trends of the elderly and their oral health has helped the dental profession gain greater insight into treatment strategies tailored to their needs. Evaluation of the patient's systemic health is critical to identifying complicating factors that can interfere with or be exacerbated by dental treatment. Understanding these disease trends can also sensitize the dentist to the presence of previously undiagnosed oral signs of systemic disease. In addition to the patient's systemic health, oral and dental status and individual expectations and desires must be considered when developing a treatment plan. In considering all of these variables, optimal treatment can be rendered to restore function and aesthetics in a manner that will help maintain and improve the patient's health and psychologic well-being.