November 03, 2011
“Closing the Gap” Workshop Celebrates 10 Years of Oral Health Research on Older Nova Scotians
On October 27, 2011 Drs. Mary McNally and Debora Matthews hosted “Closing the Gap Between Oral Health Research and Practice” a daylong workshop highlighting the results of their recent research projects and celebrating 10 years of oral health research on older adults.
The workshop was opened with greetings from Dean Tom Boran; the Minister of Health, Maureen MacDonald; and the managing director of the Atlantic Health Promotion Research Centre, Sandra Crowell. Attendees were a diverse and enthusiastic mix of care providers, oral health professionals, long term care administrators, educators, policy analysts and academics.
From Mary McNally the attendees heard an overview of 10 years of research where it was noted that the beginnings were a group of independent researchers who joined forces to begin a research program focused on improving the oral health of vulnerable populations. The group started with a $20,000 grant which has since spun-off into nearly $1.5 million in cumulative research funding.
Debora Matthews presented the highlights of a provincial survey of the oral health status of Nova Scotians age 45 and older called The Oral Health of our Aging Population (TOHAP) study. The survey found disparities between Nova Scotian baby-boomers and seniors in terms of their oral health status and access to oral care. The survey also revealed very high levels of oral disease and little access to professional oral care among seniors living in long term care. A summary report of the survey outcomes is available
here. Mary McNally and project coordinator Karen McNeil presented the outcomes of the “Oral Care in Continuing Care Settings” study and introduced the “Brushing up on Mouth Care” toolkit. The toolkit includes practical tools and resources including educational videos for providing oral care in continuing care. The components of the toolkit are all freely available on the project
website. The day concluded with an interactive session where participants discussed ways in which the oral health of older Nova Scotians could be improved. A report of the workshop outcomes will be posted along with the presentation slides on the Oral Care in Continuing Care
website in the near future.
Related stories:
Understanding Oral Health for the Aging PopulationTooth Care Lacking for Many SeniorsNS Survey Reveals Limited Access to Oral Health Care for Long Term Care Residents
