While oral health is foundational to overall well-being, its role becomes acutely critical in individuals with or at risk for swallowing impairments (dysphagia). This is particularly true for vulnerable populations whose dysphagia stems from advanced age, neurological conditions (e.g., stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s disease), structural changes from head and neck cancer, or neurodevelopmental disorders. In these groups, compromised oral health—characterized by pathogenic bacterial colonization, xerostomia, and periodontal disease and dental caries—is not merely an ancillary issue but a primary risk factor for devastating complications, most notably aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, and systemic disease.
Speech-Language Pathologists (S-LPs), as primary managers of dysphagia across the lifespan, are uniquely positioned on the front lines of this issue. In a variety of settings where patients are often dependent for care and medically fragile, the S-LP’s scope must extend beyond the mechanics of the swallow to include diligent oral health assessment and management. This presentation will expand upon—and explore in greater detail—information presented at the SAC Virtual Dysphagia Conference in November 2025. The purpose of this presentation is to move beyond a general overview and provide a targeted exploration of the intersection between oral health and dysphagia, with a specific focus on evidence-based, oral health considerations for these at-risk populations.