Pressing issues for oral care quality improvement: findings from the EU DELIVER project

Abstract

Abstract Background While oral health often takes a backseat to other health domains, it silently affects nearly half of the Worldwide population. The DELIVER project, funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe program, seeks to develop a blueprint model for improving the quality of oral health care for everyone. Methods Applying the Nominal Group Technique (NGT), 17 stakeholders from various backgrounds participated in identifying pressing issues for oral care quality improvement across practice, community, and policy levels. Results The results revealed significant differences at the different levels, with accessibility emerging as a prominent issue, encompassing affordability, availability, and acceptability of oral healthcare services. Conclusions These findings emphasizes the need for policy reforms, increased investments, and a shift towards preventive and patient-centered dental care practices. It highlights the importance of collaborative efforts with multi-stakeholders and prioritizing pressing issues on a multi-level to drive positive change in improving oral care quality.

Keywords

• Quality improvement
• Oral health
• Health policy
• Stakeholder participation
• Citizen
• Science