Description

Managing oral health in residential aged care facilities remains a challenge mostly unmet. Yet hygienists and oral health therapists have the knowledge, skills and expertise to make a difference in this environment. The ‘Senior Smiles’ model of oral health care for people living in residential aged care facilities has been tested on the NSW Central Coast.

It is proven, transportable and provides appropriate oral health care within a framework that encompasses education, prevention and referral pathways for more complex dental care by utilising oral health practitioners as the ‘boundary spanners’. Oral health care in residential aged care facilities is not a task that can be managed by one entity; it requires teamwork, commitment and proactive management to achieve positive outcomes for the residents. This is feasible with a dental hygienist/oral health therapist on staff within residential aged care facilities developing rapport with residents, staff and carers, providing preventive oral hygiene practices, oral health risk assessments, oral health care plans and establishing relationships with public and private dentists and prosthetists, while managing or removing barriers to accessing dental treatment both at the facility and in the community. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Discuss the challenges of the residential aged care environment in relation to oral health care.
2. Describe the processes associated with the Senior Smiles oral health risk assessment and care plans.
3. Discuss the Senior Smiles philosophy of preventive oral health care.

Dr Janet Wallace

PhD, GCPTT, BOH, Dip DT, DIP BM, FADI

University of Newcastle

Dr Janet Wallace is an Oral Health Therapist, Senior Lecturer and the Program Convenor of the Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy program at the University of Newcastle, Australia.  

Janet became interested in the oral health ...

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