Knowledge In Action
Dental Hygienists: The Missing Link in Long-Term Care?
Welcome to the latest installment of our monthly series — Knowledge in Action: Evidence-Based Insights for B.C. Dental Hygienists. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between research and practice by providing accessible summaries of relevant and timely research findings.
Key Findings
Study reveals how integrating dental hygienists improves oral health in care homes
We are excited to share the latest findings from a study highlighting the vital role of dental hygienists in improving oral health for residents in long-term care homes. This research underscores the value of integrating dental hygienists into care teams and fostering interprofessional collaboration to ensure that residents receive the comprehensive oral care they need to maintain their overall health and well-being.
Key findings include:
- Enhanced Detection: Dental hygienists play a significant role in identifying oral health issues that may go unnoticed by other healthcare providers.
- Educational Impact: While nurses valued the eLearning module on oral health, they highlighted the need for more practice, hands-on training.
- Collaboration is Key: Effective communication and collaboration between nurses and dental hygienists is essential for optimal oral care.
- Tools for Success: The study led to the development of a new referral tool to address oral health concerns using a method more familiar to nurses (Situation, Background, Action, Response).
Question: How can we elevate the role of dental hygienists to improve oral health for seniors in LTC?
