The coronavirus pandemic was declared a worldwide public health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the 30th of January 2020. The causative organism responsible for the global outbreak has been identified as the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, with Wuhan, Hubei Province, China as the centre of the outbreak. 1 Infected individuals may present with symptoms such as fever, cough, fatigue and shortness of breath but these can develop into significant complications including pneumonia and acute

No abstract

Background and Objective: Dental care provision in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) is often a problem despite the high demand. LTCF residents would greatly benefit from a concept that provides an onsite dental care. A rational evaluation of the costs to render this service as well as the cost benefits is worth investigating. This study aimed to calculate the costs involved in providing a mobile dental clinic (MDC) service for LTCF residents in Zurich, Switzerland. Materials and Methods:Cost models for setting up, executing and maintaining an MDC unit were generated. The costs included personnel, equipment/material, maintenance and running costs. The treatment costs were calculated for the treatment in MDC, university-setting dental clinic (UC) and private practice (PP). Hypothetical cost estimates were generated for the return of the invested capital. Costs incurred for the institutions for accommodating the MDC visit were also calculated. Results:The set-up capital required to start a MDC in Switzerland (for 2020) was approximately around CHF 505'007.90 (Euros 466'576.80) and was around CHF 452'666.48 (Euros 418'218.56) when a dental care professional (DCP) substituted the dentist. The estimated cost savings for an LTCF resident in the MDC were CHF 205.60 (Euros 189.95) when compared to a UC and approximately CHF 226.34 (Euros 209.12) when compared to a PP. With the dentist, the return of the invested capital can be expected by 3 years while it would take around 6 years with the DCP, assuming that the maximum number of patients possible-to-treat are treated every year.The daily running costs for the LTCF for accommodating the MDC visit were approximately CHF 299.04 (Euros 276.28).Conclusions: Delivery of oral health services for LTCF residents through the use of a MDC service seems to be an effective model for dependent elders with limited access to care. However, the costs of maintaining this service are high with similarly large start-up costs. Future development of this model by utilising dental care professionals may produce cost savings but with a more limited range of services offered.

ObjectiveThe objective of the study was to systematically compare barriers/facilitators providing oral hygiene to young children and dependent older people and to generate ideas to improve the implementation of oral hygiene measures.BackgroundMany older people, like children, rely on third‐party assistance for teeth cleaning. Barriers/facilitators in providing oral care services have been described in recent works. The aim of our study was to compare these results for both groups and to increase knowledge on analogies/differences in barriers/intermediaries.MethodsWe performed a systematic review. Studies reporting on knowledge, attitudes and beliefs acting as barriers/facilitators for provision of teeth cleaning were included. Thematic analysis was used and identified themes translated to domains and constructs of the theoretical domains framework and aligned to the behaviour change wheel. Based on three published reviews in children or older people, our search (PubMed via Medline), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Web of Science, Google Scholar, last search (21 January 2023) encompassed both populations dated from their last publication (28 February 2018). The review was registered (Prospero, CRD42021278944). For quality assessment, the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used.ResultsSeventeen articles were identified (older people (n = 8), children (n = 9)). Deficits exist for both in terms of “knowledge/skills” among caregivers, with special difficulties in children with challenging behaviour and older people. “Capability” as one of the main elements of behavioural factors that are the basis for behaviour to take place (COM‐B, Capability, Opportunity, Motivation–Behaviour) is most often mentioned for children and “opportunity” for older people.ConclusionsMost of the facilitators and barriers affecting oral care provision in children are also relevant in older people. Approaches for the development of strategies for better implementation of oral hygiene measures in older people are presented.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to describe a disability‐simulating learning unit (DSLU) to raise dental students’ awareness of the special needs of patients with disabilities as well as to measure the effect of the DSLU on ableism.MethodsA DSLU among final‐year undergraduate dental students (n = 33), was developed and evaluated. The students were randomly divided into two groups (Group I, n = 17; Group II, n = 16). Group II only received conventional teaching (control group), whereas Group I was additionally exposed to the DSLU (intervention group). In the DSLU, typical physical restrictions and the associated difficulties in attending dental appointments were simulated with the help of simulation suits. Four different stations offered the opportunity to experience typical signs of disability in a dental context. About 2 months after the DSLU, both groups were asked to answer the Symbolic Ableism Scale (SAS). An analysis was conducted to examine the participants’ average total score and several subscores. The Mann–Whitney U Test was employed to control the differences between the study groups.ResultsOverall, the students in the intervention group had a significantly (p = .001) lower mean SAS summary score (median = .37; IQR .32–.42) than the students in the control group (median = .50; IQR .39–.53). For the components “individualism” (p < .0001) and “excessive demands” (p = .002) significant group differences could be observed.ConclusionThe DSLU is a potentially feasible and effective method for influencing students’ ableism attitude.