I've had several yorkie fosters, many senior, and everyone gets a dental. Everyone has come through w/flying colors, even one gal who was 18yrs old and had a grade 5 heart murmur. (We didn't know she was 18 when we pulled her from the shelter.
haha) She had horribly abscessed teeth, I couldn't leave her like that. Even little Niko, at 15 yrs young, lost every tooth in his head. (a few months later he still wanted to eat hard food!)
A few months ago we took in a 15yr old yorkie from the shelter whose owners turned her in to be put to sleep because they said she was too old!!! We had her spayed (good thing as although she was not a breeder she had pyometria), removed 2 mammary tumors, and 13 rotten teeth. The improvement in her overall appearance and energy level is amazing. She had brittle, stringy hair, bad skin, was thin--but now she has a thick head of hair and she is a lunatic. No one can believe she is almost 16 yrs old!
Anyway, we do dentals on everyone who needs them from the shelter. Haven't had one die yet--and we've had some old ones!!!
Pam