Oxfordshire Oral Health Needs Assessment 2023: Key Messages for Care Homes

Findings from the Oxfordshire Oral Health Needs Assessment 2023 have now been published.

These findings have highlighted the importance of promoting and prioritising good oral health across the whole system, which includes care homes. Oral health and related factors such as number of teeth, bite force, and chewing problems have a significant impact on older adults’ quality of life and ability to function. Oral health has impacts on many other elements of health, including nutrition, and is therefore an important element within individual care plans.

Results from Oxfordshire surveys with stakeholders have highlighted general county-wide issues with access to NHS dentistry across all age groups. Impacts resulting from COVID-19 and NHS dental workforce limitations are being felt across services.

The report highlights issues with access to dentistry within care homes, and outlines that more support is needed to promote partnership working between care homes and dental services. Additionally, commissioners are recommended to fund for local initiatives which promote oral health in care homes, such as peer-to-peer support.

Recommendations from the report include:

• Prioritising oral health in care homes
• Wider collaboration across organisations and systems
• Raising awareness of NICE and CQC guidance which can help to support oral health in care homes
• Providing more training programmes and resources for care home staff
• More resources to empower residents to maintain good oral health
• Piloting oral health champions in care homes

Community Dental Services (CDS) have a wide range of oral health-related training available to care homes and staff:

• CDS have collaborated with Oxfordshire County Council and offer a level 1 toolkit for carers within care homes.
• CDS then can offer further level 2 training for care homes and staff which focuses on maintaining and promoting oral health through incorporating national guidelines.
• Care homes can also complete Lifelong Smiles, which is a level 3 accreditation programme.

Overall, it is important to prioritise oral health across all services to make a difference to the oral health of people in Oxfordshire. A summary of the Needs Assessment can be found here.