Interdisciplinary Mobile Dental Service For People With Special Needs

Abstract

Aim or Purpose: To assess the feasibility of a private mobile dental service in South Australia for better access to improve the oral health for people with special needs. Materials and Methods: Non-identifiable data (October 2019-March 2023) was accessed from Core Practice, a mobile dental software. Information was collected on the range of referrals, reasons for appointment, and funding for the dental treatment. Findings were summarised with descriptive statistics, displayed with charts and graphs. Results: Over three years, the private mobile dental service received referrals from residential aged care facilities (RACF) and medical/dental practitioners for relief of pain, tooth/denture-related problems, check-up and clean, and palliative care. Treatment was provided onsite at RACFs and family-homes by an interdisciplinary team of three general dentists, two specialists in special needs dentistry, an oral health therapist and a dental prosthetist.Sources of funds for the dental treatment were CDBS, DVA, PDS, Public Trustee, Aged Care Package, private health insurance and private funds. Conclusions: Private sector can share the load of the limited overburdened domiciliary care provided by the public sector and provide timely access to dental care.However, due to the complexity of treatment needs or behaviour management, some patients will need to be seen at tertiary hospitals.This interdisciplinary mobile dental service capitalised on the provision of oral health care by the full range of registered dental practitioners working cooperatively within a team, maximising their individual scopes of practice.To meet the shared goals of improving the oral health for people with special needs, collaboration and smooth referral pathways must be established between private and public sectors.