CDA Essentials 2016 • Volume 3 • Issue 8

13 Volume 3 Issue 7 | CDA at W ork The joint statement is the result of a collaborative effort between relevant stakeholders—oral health care providers, dental faculties, government, special interest groups, and related health professionals— participating in the Canadian Oral Health Roundtable (COHR). The yearly event aims to develop “scientifically supported strategic actions to address challenges and opportunities in oral health promotion and the delivery of oral health care in Canada.” The oral health care needs of those living in LTC facilities was one of the first topics of interest for COHR participants at the inaugural meeting in 2014. “The overall increasing proportion of seniors along with their considerably higher rate of dental diseases and need for dental services, the presence of barriers to dental care access in addition to the increasingly limited government funding, justify the concerns about access and delivery of dental health services for seniors, particularly those in LTC facilities,” says the COHR website. The Oral Health Care Standards for Residents in Long-Term Care Facilities consensus statement was approved by the CDA Board of Directors in 2016. It replaces CDA’s 2010 Position on Oral Health Care for Residents in Long-Term Care Facilities . a Long-Term Care Facilities Consensus Statement on Oral Health Care Standards Recognizing the need for minimum oral care requirements for all residents of long-term care (LTC) facilities, CDA joined with 22 other organizations to create a consensus statement addressing the issue. Signatories • Alberta Dental Association and College • Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry • British Columbia Dental Association • Canadian Association of Public Health Dentistry • Canadian Association of Social Workers • Canadian Dental Assistants Association • Canadian Dental Association • Canadian Dental Hygienists Association • Canadian Dental Specialties Association • Canadian Pharmacists Association • Canadian Teachers’ Federation • Canadian Dental Therapists Association • College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan • Dental Association of Prince Edward Island • Health Canada • Manitoba Dental Association • New Brunswick Dental Society • Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association • Northwest Territories and Nunavut Dental Association • Nova Scotia Dental Association • Ontario Dental Association • Patients for Patients Safety Canada • Yukon Dental Association Consensus Statement Oral Health Care Standards for Residents in Long-Term Care in Canada Given the particular oral health challenges faced by seniors in care facilities and the importance of oral health to overall health, the following should be the minimum oral care requirements for all residents in long-term care in Canada: • Oral health assessment by an appropriately trained and licensed/registered health professional upon admission and annually thereafter; • Beginning as soon as possible after admission, a referral process to a dentist for examination, diagnosis and treatment planning; • A daily mouth care plan that is implemented by appropriately trained staff; • Suitable infrastructure to support the appropriate delivery of needed care by the oral health team.