Real stories

Making sure people with dementia in care homes can get good dental care

John Murphy, who has dementia, is one of over 5,000 care home residents to benefit from a dental initiative from NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board.

The drive to improve access to NHS dental care for this vulnerable group has meant John’s had check-ups, a filling and a deep clean so far.

‘The scheme has been amazing,’ says Leanne Lea, Home Manager at Silverpoint Care Home in Canvey.

People with dementia can get stressed leaving a familiar environment but under this scheme, problems can be picked up while they are in the comfort of their own home.

Access to dental care

The project launched in 2023, linking 285 homes with 11 dental practices to treat residents who often find it challenging to get to a dentist.

For Stephen Denny, a dentist who helped set up the project, this work is close to his heart. His mother had vascular dementia, so he knows how the condition can limit access to care.

‘For most care home residents, visiting a dental practice isn’t just difficult, it can be impossible,’ he says.

Physical issues can make travelling to a dental practice or transferring into a dental chair unthinkable.

‘Dementia can make the unfamiliar and clinical environment of a dental practice overwhelming. And non-verbal residents can’t even express their need for treatment, leaving them in pain for many years.’

Many people living in care homes don’t get regular dental checks because of limited mobility and long waiting lists for community dentistry.

But Stephen says this project has allowed dentists to identify problems that could affect eating and drinking. These problems can also point to serious issues such as blood clots, heart problems, diabetes, oral cancer, pneumonia and bronchitis.

The work has been such a success that it’s been commissioned across mid and south Essex for the next five years. It’s hoped it will be picked up in other areas of the country too.

Dentists learning to care for older patients

Under the scheme, dentists carry out regular checks at care homes and respond to treatment requests from staff. They also train home staff in dental hygiene and how to identify problems.

The project has been a learning experience for many dentists in treating older patients with communication challenges.

Dentist Tony Clough says, ‘We’ve learnt to communicate as clearly as possible, take our time and never force something on them that they are not comfortable with.’

Stephen adds, ‘The idea of delivering services outside of our clinics was quite daunting, and for the first few visits we took far more equipment than we needed. But we have refined our system to include most of what we need.’

Tony says, ‘We can see we have made a difference in terms of residents’ oral health, but also the confidence of carers to manage oral health.’

Phenomenal impact

Silverpoint Care Home has benefited from the project for the last year.

Torie Sabbarton, Operations Manager, says the impact on residents has been phenomenal.

‘If you have dementia, it is really difficult to get to a dental surgery and travelling to an unfamiliar place can be quite traumatic.

Many residents may not have seen a dentist for years as they don’t normally come out to care homes, so we’re grateful for the project.

‘The staff training has been second to none and they now know how to do oral health checks to gather information they can share with the dentists.’

Torie calls the project ‘trailblazing’. 

‘Poor dental health can have a massive knock-on effect on physical health,’ she says, ‘but if you can help residents be able to eat and drink properly again, it can bring so many benefits to their lives.’

Stephen adds, ‘The gratitude we’ve received from residents and their families has been overwhelming.

For many residents, this is the first time in years they’ve been pain-free or able to eat comfortably.

‘It’s rewarding to see them happy and more confident socialising again.’