FGDP(UK) welcomes inclusion of oral health in care home inspections

The change comes as a result of the health inspectorate’s Smiling Matters study, published earlier this year, which the Faculty helped develop through the involvement of Dr Paul Batchelor, editor of FGDP(UK)’s Dementia-Friendly Dentistry guidance.

Around 400,000 people in the UK live in care homes, and NICE Guideline NG48 recommends that residents are supported to clean their teeth and/or dentures daily, and have their oral health needs assessed on admission and recorded in their personal care plans.

However, the CQC’s report found that one in six care homes do not assess residents' oral health on admission, 52% do not have an oral health plan for residents, and 47% of staff had not received training in oral health care. Care homes specialising in dementia, which affects up to 70% of care home residents, were even less likely to have considered oral health needs.