Enduring Smiles: Improving the Oral Health of Long-Term Care Residents in Nebraska
The Enduring Smiles program is a partnership between the UNMC College of Dentistry, Nebraska Community Foundation and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The goals of the program are to: 1.) inform independent older adults about the oral health issues and changes they may experience in the future; 2.) train public health dental hygienists to teach oral health to elder facility staff; and 3.) educate direct care staff and caregivers to improve elder oral health.
Modules for Public Health Dental Hygienists and Direct Care Staff
Module 1: Oral Health Care for Residents in Long-Term Care Facilities
Learning Objectives: 1.) increase direct care providers’ awareness of the importance of providing / supervising daily oral care for the long-term care resident; 2.) implement effective oral care measures for the long-term care residents and their direct care providers; 3.) direct care providers will be able to recognize and report oral pain and abnormal conditions in residents’ mouths to charge nurse or dentist; and 4.) direct care providers will utilize correct behavior management and communication strategies when providing oral health care for long term care residents.
Module 2: Oral Assessment of Long-Term Care Residents
Learning Objectives: 1.) direct care providers will be able to perform an oral health assessment, identifying normal anatomy and conditions; 2.) direct care providers will be able to recognize and report oral pain and suspicious / abnormal conditions in residents’ mouths to charge nurse and/or dentist; and 3.) direct care providers will utilize appropriate behavior management and communication strategies when assessing the residents’ oral cavity.
Module 3: Oral Effects of Common Medications Prescribed for Long-Term Care Residents
Learning Objectives: 1.) direct care providers will be able to identify most prescribed / common medications used by long-term care residents; 2.) direct care providers will be able to discuss the common oral side effects of medications; 3.) direct care providers will be able to identify oral symptoms / side effects in residents and bring it to the attention of the charge nurse and/or dentist; and 4.) after consultation with charge nurse or dentist, direct care providers will help residents apply / use products designed to alleviate or manage side effects.
Module 4: The Oral-Systemic Link - Diseases and Oral Implications of the Elderly
Learning Objectives: 1.) given a systemic condition, the direct care providers will be able to describe the oral / systemic relationships in the elderly; 2.) the direct care providers will be able to recognize abnormal oral conditions and bring it to the attention of the charge nurse and/or dentist; and 3.) the direct care providers will adapt oral care to accommodate special systemic conditions in the resident.