New guide to promote dementia friendly dentistry across the UK

The guide, led by the University, will help dental professionals incorporate dementia-friendly care into their practice
NICE guideline dental care in care homes
A new guide to help dental professionals incorporate dementia-friendly care into their practice has been published by the 探花视频.
The guide contains tips, ideas and explanations on how dental professionals and the wider team at surgeries can make their people, places and processes more dementia friendly.

Examples include:

  • offering familiarisation visits to the practice prior to appointments to help alleviate anxiety
  • avoiding shiny flooring (which can look like water to a person with dementia) or dark carpets (that can appear as black holes)
  • having regular dementia workshops or training with all staff
  • engaging with people with dementia and their carers to ask for feedback on what would make their visits easier.

Dementia Friendly Dentistry

The guide, which was co-written by Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise and 探花视频 City Council, spawned from community engagement work within the University鈥檚 Peninsula Dental School student curriculum. A group of students were paired with Ian Sherriff, the University鈥檚 Academic Partnership Lead for Dementia for their module, and, following his workshop on dementia-friendly communities, opted to design a dementia friendly surgery.

The 鈥榳alk through鈥 concepts inspired a dental surgery designer to rethink their designs and, drawing on this and the social care expertise, Ian and the Prime Minister鈥檚 Dementia Challenge Group commissioned the guide in full earlier this year. 

It will now be made available to dentists via NHS England.

Angela Rippon CBE, Chair of the 6th 探花视频 Dementia Conference

Ian Sherriff said: 

鈥淔or over 10 years we鈥檝e championed better recognition and care for people with dementia and their carers, and it鈥檚 all about how small things can make a difference. If everyone thought about a small thing they could do, it suddenly becomes a much more welcoming and understanding world for people with the condition.

鈥淭he dental guide is the latest work that the University and the Prime Minister鈥檚 Challenge Group has helped to influence, coming after the dementia friendly flying advice and guidance given to the Civil Aviation Authority, and the Rural Dementia Guide for town and parish councils that was endorsed by the PM himself.

鈥淭hat the idea started with our students designing a dental surgery is fantastic, and I鈥檓 humbled by the way everyone has taken it on board, so I look forward to seeing this guidance rolled out in full.鈥

Professor Christopher Tredwin, Head of Peninsula Dental School at the 探花视频, said: 

鈥淎s a practising dentist myself, I know that dentists see people over and over again and see how they develop over the years. We are in a key position to spot a change in someone鈥檚 behaviour or demeanour and, if we consider that it might be dementia, look at how we can help. Whether that鈥檚 signposting to other care and/or changing our own practices, it鈥檚 important we鈥檙e as prepared as we can be, and that鈥檚 where this guidance comes in.

鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly proud of the University鈥檚 community engagement work alongside Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise, and what our students have helped to achieve is fantastic.鈥

Sara Hurley, Chief Dental Officer for England, said: 

鈥淒ementia is a significant health and social care challenge faced by our society. This challenge cannot be ignored. It can only be tackled through new approaches and understanding that draw on all parts of health, social care and the wider aspects of community life.

鈥淎ll those who work in the field of dentistry are likely to be affected by dementia either in the patients we treat, as ourselves or as carers for loved ones. To ensure people living with dementia receive the dental care they require this Dementia Friendly Guide provides a valuable insight into providing compassionate dental care plus the special considerations needed to help people living with dementia to access dental services.鈥

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