Case 6: Prosthodontic treatment for the newly diagnosed patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus

This chapter presents a case study that a patient is seen in the dental office for a consult. Based on the intraoral findings at the initial examination, diabetes mellitus is suspected and the patient is referred to a physician for evaluation. Dentists have an important role in establishing normal masticatory function for patients, and maintaining oral health in patients with diabetes mellitus. In addition, they can also play an important role in identifying patients with undiagnosed or poorly managed diabetes. A number of recent studies have suggested that the use of data collected at a dental examination can be used as part of an identification protocol for patients with suspected diabetes mellitus. These studies have suggested that the dental office can be a health care location that actively participates in the management of patients with diabetes mellitus.