Senior Smiles: preliminary results for a new model of oral health care utilizing the dental hygienist in residential aged care facilities

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 284-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
JP Wallace ◽  
J Mohammadi ◽  
LG Wallace ◽  
JA Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Dental Hygienist ◽  
New Model ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Residential Aged Care Facilities

Promoting oral health care among people living in residential aged care facilities: Perceptions of care staff

Gerodontology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy R. Villarosa ◽  
Sally Clark ◽  
Ariana C. Villarosa ◽  
Tiffany Patterson Norrie ◽  
Susan Macdonald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Residential Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Perceptions Of Care

scholarly journals DOMICILIARY SERVICES IMPROVE ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE FOR FUNCTIONALLY DEPENDENT OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S492-S492
Author(s):  
Mathew A Lim ◽  
Gelsomina L Borromeo
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Dental Services ◽  
Unique Challenge ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities

Abstract There is growing evidence demonstrating links between oral diseases and general health. The increased retention of teeth among functionally-dependent older adults presents a unique challenge in maintaining the oral health of these individuals from basic oral hygiene to accessing dental services. The results of our cross-sectional study demonstrate the important role domiciliary dental services play in reducing the barriers to accessing oral health care in this cohort. In our study, most individuals treated by domiciliary services lived in residential aged care facilities and were significantly older than those treated by hospital and community-based dental services dedicated to the specialized care of individuals with additional health care needs. A significantly higher number of those receiving domiciliary care were unable to self-consent for treatment compared to those managed in other settings. 27.4% of these patients had a diagnosis of dementia. More than half (56.9%) of patients treated by domiciliary services received some form of treatment with almost half (48.1%) of these requiring a dental extraction. Only two of these patients were not diagnosed with a chronic condition known to affect oral health (dementia, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, stroke, osteoporosis). 23.7% of domiciliary appointments were used for denture fabrication. The results depict the worrying level of unmet treatment need in residents of aged care facilities. However, they also demonstrate the potential for domiciliary dental services to play a role in developing partnerships between carers and oral health professionals to improve the oral health of functionally-dependent older adults.

Engaging dental professionals in residential aged-care facilities: staff perspectives regarding access to oral care

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia Hearn ◽  
Linda Slack-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Oral Care ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Geriatric Dentistry ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Residential Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Dental Professionals

The limited access to oral care for older people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) has been noted repeatedly in the literature. The aim of this study was to explore RACF staff perspectives on how to engage dental professionals in the provision of oral care for RACF residents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 staff from six purposively selected RACFs located in high socioeconomic areas to gain understanding of the multidimensional issues that influenced the engagement of dental professionals from a carer perspective. Analysis revealed that staff perceived tensions regarding affordability, availability, accessibility and flexibility of dental professionals as significant barriers to better oral care for their residents. Participants raised a series of options for how to better engage dental professionals and reduce these barriers. Their ideas included: the engagement of RACF staff in collaborative discussions with representatives of public and private dental services, dental associations, corporate partners and academics; the use of hygienists/oral health therapists to educate and motivate RACF staff; the promotion of oral health information for troubleshooting and advice on how to deal with residents’ dental pain while waiting for support; the encouragement of onsite training for dental professionals; and the importance of gerodontology (geriatric dentistry). Findings highlighted the need to explore alternative approaches to delivering oral care that transcend the model of private clinical practice to focus instead on the needs of RACFs and take into account quality of end-of-life oral care.

scholarly journals Dental Care Access and the Elderly: What Is the Role of Teledentistry? A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (23) ◽  
pp. 9053
Author(s):  
Luca Aquilanti ◽  
Andrea Santarelli ◽  
Marco Mascitti ◽  
Maurizio Procaccini ◽  
Giorgio Rappelli
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Dental Care ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Residential Aged Care Facilities

A high level of unmet oral health needs is very common among elderly people. In a society that is getting older and that has been hit so hard by the coronavirus pandemic, the development of new strategies aimed at enhancing general and oral health status should be crucial in order to promote healthy aging. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the feasibility of Teledentistry in communities or in a domiciliary setting where elderly people live. A structured and systematic research was performed on the major electronic databases for studies published in English until 30 June 2020: the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, and CINAHL databases. A total of 13 articles were identified through database searching using combinations of keywords. Out of 13 papers, eight abstracts were reviewed to assess if they were coherent with the aim of the study, and full texts were retrieved. After abstract reviews, seven articles were selected for closer inspection. Of these, six were assessed for eligibility. Four papers were aimed at assessing patients and health practitioners experiences about Teledentistry, three studies reported a cost analysis and cost description of Teledentistry in residential aged care facilities, and two studies investigated the feasibility and accuracy of Teledentistry for diagnosis dental pathology. The implementation of Teledentistry in residential aged care facilities and in home-assistance programs could be a viable tool for the management of oral care in people who cannot access dental care.

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