Oral Health Care of Nova Scotia Seniors

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Oral Health Care of Nova Scotia Seniors

• Lets Talk Policy

Terry Mitchell, BSc, RDH, MEd, CGN School of
Dental Hygiene, Faculty of Dentistry Dalhousie
University
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Research question

• What are the key components of an oral health
  action plan, based on continuity of care, which
  will improve the oral health status of seniors in
  Nova Scotia?

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Project objectives

• Health services evaluation
• Promising practices scan
• Forum
• Dissemination communication

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Health services evaluation

• Focus groups
• Key informant interviews

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Promising practices scan

• Literature search
• Informal discussions, key service delivery

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Forum

• Data to date
• Power point
• Story-telling
• Multi-sector small working groups

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Dissemination communication

• Conferences
• Reports
• Journal articles
• Newsletter
• Etc.

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Oral Health of Seniors Project Team
Principal investigators Mary McNally, Faculty
of Dentistry, Dalhousie University Renée Lyons,
Atlantic Health Promotion Research Centre

• Aileen McCormick, Senior Representative
• Debra Matthews, Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie
  University
• Don Pamenter, Nova Scotia Dental Association
• Gael Page, Northwoodcare Inc.
• Gail Brown, Nova Scotia Dental Hygienists
  Association
• Gerard Ferguson, Manulife Financial
• Herenia Lawrence, Faculty of Dentistry,
  University of Toronto
• James Leake, Faculty of Dentistry, University of
  Toronto
• Joseph Murphy, Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie
  University
• Murray Nixon, Nova Scotia Department of Health

• Patty Williams, Department of Family Studies,
  MSVU
• Robert MacDonald, Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie
  University
• Sandra Crowell, Atlantic Health Promotion
  Research Centre
• Scott MacLean, Practicing Dentist
• Terry Mitchell, School of Dental Hygiene,
  Dalhousie University
• Valerie White, Nova Scotia Senior Citizens'
  Secretariat
• William MacInnis, Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie
  University
• Elizabeth Tait, Project Coordinator, Oral Health
  of Seniors Project
• Pamela Magee, Researcher, Oral Health of Seniors
  Project

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Funders

• CHSRF
• NSHRF
• Drummond Foundation
• Manulife Financial
• Nova Scotia Dental Association
• Dentistry Canada Fund
• CIHR for Forum Funding

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Forum

• Action plans
• Collaboration Steering committee
• Policy development
• Public awareness
• Program delivery
• Geriatric education of oral health care students
• Geriatric education for non-oral health care
  providers
• Research

• Participants
• Seniors from community
• Government
• Researchers
• Service health care businesses
• Associations

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Policy implications

• Oral health must be explicitly recognized as an
  essential component of overall health and quality
  of life.
• Increase awareness of decision-makers, public
• Integrated health systems coordinate private
  public services

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Policy implications

• Infrastructure at either the provincial or
  federal government levels must be established for
  oral health care for seniors
• Leadership position in Health Canada, Provincial
  Departments of Health
• Prevention, promotion of oral health care
  integrated with public, primary healthcare
  programs

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Infrastructure (continued)

• Review relevant legislation impacting oral health
• Oral health programs
• Guidelines for private public continuing care
  facilities - oral health standards service
  provision
• Oral health exam component to single-point
  entry protocols

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Policy implications

• Increase accessibility of oral health care
  services especially for rural dwelling,
  homebound, and long term care residents
• Mechanisms for service delivery, transportation
• LTC facilities for on-site care delivery
• Standardized oral health resource kit for
  non-dental care providers
• Oral health care labour force issues

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Policy implications

• Investigate alternate methods of compensation for
  oral health professionals.
• Impact of poor oral health on healthcare and
  other social systems
• Quantify financial support required (public
  primary health care for seniors)
• Develop and evaluate dental service fee guides
  specific to geriatric dental care

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Policy implications

• Foster research initiatives to establish data
  pertaining to oral health and oral health
  practises
• National consensus for oral health assessments
  for seniors
• Assess oral health status of seniors

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Research (continued)

• Collaborative research teams
• Develop evaluate oral health promotion and oral
  disease prevention strategies
• Develop and evaluate dental practice guidelines
  specifically for seniors needs
• Determine the feasibility mechanisms for
  integrating oral health interventions and
  practices into existing primary health care
  strategies
• Assess the impact of the aging population on the
  dental workforce
• Develop test service delivery models

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Policy implications

• Education for care providers and those who
  educate care providers must acknowledge the need
  for specific geriatric education
• Accreditation standards dental , dental hygiene,
  health related professions
• Non-traditional delivery models educational
  components
• Geriatric dentistry - specialty recognition

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Education (continued)

• Geriatric education for health care workers
• Nursing
• Continuing care assistance
• Pharmacy
• Medicine
• Caregivers who provide personal care

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Current status

• Report submitted
• Seniors oral health collaboration
• COHR
• Dissemination