One hundred and forty‐two residents of a geriatric hospital in France were given an oral exam and interviewed by questionnaire regarding their backgrounds, physical health and oral hygiene habits. The residents suffered from many systemic diseases and drug intake was relatively high. Over fifty percent reported mouth dryness, especially at waking. Twenty‐three percent stated that they never brushed their teeth and the demand for dental services was low. Edentulousness was similar to those rates reported in Israel and the U.S. The majority of prostheses were rated by examiners as unacceptable and there were significant amounts of root and cervical caries in spite of the relatively high level of oral health care provided by the st