199 Introduction There is no doubt that the human population of the world is ageing, not just as individuals or commu- nities but globally. It is expected that by 2030 almost one billion people worldwide will be 65 years and older. Approaches to the ageing process are also changing and no longer involve the idea of physical decline and illness. The rate of disability among older people has declined dramatically dur- ing the last 20 years [1], as the global population of elderly people has risen at an unprecedented rate. However, it is predicted that in more than 20 coun- tries there will be a decline in the overall population in the next two decades. One such country is Romania, where it is predicted that the population will decline by 1.5 million by 2030, a decrease of 6.8%. At present, 26.6% of Romanians are aged over 55 years [2]. Poor oral health can lead to major problems in older populations, causing oral and dental condi- tions that can predispose to nutritional and commu- nication difficulties or oral disease, including oral infections (caries, periodontitis, tooth loss, benign mucosal lesions, and oral cancer). Other common oral conditions found in this age group include xerostomia (dry mouth) and oral candidiasis, which may lead to acute pseudomembranous candidiasis (thrush), erythematous lesions (denture stomatitis), or angular cheilitis [3]. Many agree that about two-thirds of the elder- ly population have poor oral health but that only about one-third complains of a problem or sees a dentist [4]. There are numerous studies covering the issue of the need for prosthodontic treatment in edentulous elderly populations [5,6]. A Canadian study has identified the discrepancy between the need for prosthodontic treatment and complaints in A Pilot Study of the Assessment of Fixed and Removable Oral Prosthetic Needs of Over 55-Year-Olds who Attended the Social Centre for Dentistry in Constanta, Romania, Between January 2009 and January 2010 Lucia-Elena Moldoveanu 1 , Cristina-Loredana Dima 2 , Monica Vasile 3 1 Ph.D., D.M.D, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Ovidius University, Constanta, Romania. 2 Ph.D. Non-affiliated, 7 Stejarului Str, Constanta, Romania. 3 Lecturer, Faculty of General Medicine, Ovidius University, Constanta, Romania. Abstract Aims: The aim of this study was to pilot the assessment of the fixed and removable prosthetic needs and demands of over 55-year-olds in Constanta, Romania. Methods: A self-reporting questionnaire was developed and given to a con- venience sample of 180 patients aged over 55 years who attended the Social Centre for Dentistry in Constanta for rou- tine care and treatment between January 2009 and January 2010. Results: All questionnaires were completed. The mean age of the sample was 69.2 years (range 55-85 years). The majority (110; 61%) were female. One hundred and thirty- two patients (73%) had either fixed or removable prostheses, 96 of whom were unhappy with their current oral prosthe- sis, in spite of the fact that 120 of these were less than 15 years old. One hundred and sixty-five (92%) reported that they would rely on their dentist to choose the type of prosthesis (fixed or removable) for them. However, 79 (44%) stated that they would prefer a fixed prosthesis and only 20 (11%) that they would prefer a removable prosthesis. Conclusions: The use of a convenience sample from one urban centre casts doubt on the representativeness of the sample. However, apart from the sampling technique, the other methodological aspects of the study appeared to work well. The main findings from the pilot may or may not be replicated by a larger study using a random sample. Key Words: Prosthetic Needs, Oral Health, Elderly Patients Corresponding author: Lucia-Elena Moldoveanu, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Ovidius University, 7 Ilarie Voronca Str., 900684, Constanta, Romania; e-mail: lucia_moldo@yahoo.com