An integrated oral health program for rural residential aged care facilities: a mixed methods comparative study

Abstract

BackgroundPeople in residential aged care facilities (RACF) are at very high risk of developing complex oral diseases and dental problems. A multidisciplinary approach incorporating oral health professionals and RACF staff is important for improving and sustaining oral health in RACFs. However, difficulties exist with access to oral health services for RACFs, particularly those in regional and rural areas. This study investigated the impact and experience of an integrated oral health program utilising tele-dentistry and Oral Health Therapists (OHT) in RACFs in a rural setting within Australia.MethodsA mixed method comparison study was undertaken. Two hundred fifty-two clinical audits were completed across nine facilities with and without access to the integrated oral health program. Twenty-seven oral health quality of life surveys were completed with eligible residents. One focus group discussions (FGD) and eight interviews were completed with RACF staff. Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed FGDs and IDIs. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics.ResultsAudits showed an improved compliance to Australian Aged Care Quality Accreditation Standards for oral health in the facilities with access to the integrated program compared to those without the program. Thematic analysis revealed that facilities with the integrated program reported improvements in importance placed on OH, better access to OH services and training, and decreased disruption of residents, particularly those with high care needs.ConclusionsThe integrated oral health program incorporating OHTs and tele-dentistry shows potential to improve the oral health outcomes of residents of RACFs. Improvements for managing oral health of residents with high care needs were observed. RACFs without easy access to an oral health service will also likely benefit from the increased support and training opportunities that the program enables.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-018-3321-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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

“…Two studies investigated the feasibility and the accuracy of Teledentistry for diagnosis dental pathology using the traditional face-to-face examination as gold standard [23,24]. Four papers were aimed at assessing patients and health practitioners experiences about Teledentistry by the use of questionnaires [23], direct observation of nurses [25], surveys and clinical audit charts [26,27]. Finally, three studies reported also a cost analysis and a cost description of Teledentistry in residential aged care facilities [23,26,28].…”

“…Moreover, a previous study stated that Teledentistry has the capacity to reduce appointment waiting lists, triaging and prioritizing appointments, and to provide a rationalization of time, travel and costs for all parties [42]. Additionally, teleconsultation could reduce all the stress generated by travelling to a dental office from home or the residential aged care facility of the patients, especially in those with dementia that could lead to a complete lack of collaboration with dental practitioners [27].…”

“…The quality of the studies included in the review was evaluated using the protocol described by Hailey et al [20,21]. The available literature constricted to include in the present review mostly articles with poor or poor to fair quality, characterized by substantial limitations in the study [23,[25][26][27][28], and only one with fair to good quality [24].…”

Rekam Medis Elektronik Menggunakan Sistem Penyimpanan Foto Intraoral Gigi untuk Aplikasi Teledentistry berbasis Internet of Things

“…Teledentistry dapat diterima cukup baik di antara para pemberi layanan kesehatan dan pasien dengan meningkatnya efisiensi waktu, efisiensi perjalanan, dan juga biaya [9] . Dalam penelitian lain juga disebutkan bahwa teledentistry juga meningkatkan akses terhadap layanan kesehatan bagi lansia dan penyandang disabilitas [10] .…”

Improving Access to Specialist Dental Services Using a Telehealth Platform in Victoria, Australia

“…22,23 Across Eastern Australia, initiatives in teledentistry are in use in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. 24 The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services funded DHSV in January 2015 to launch a telehealth programme. The aim of the programme was for teledentistry to enable patients to receive specialist advice and/or advanced care through a clinical alliance between dentists at DHSV funded community dental clinics and RDHM specialist staff.…”