Column From the chairside with Alison McKenzie
Teamwork and oral health
T
here are many areas in dentistry that involve successful team- work. The most
obvious is between members of the dental surgery: recep- tion staff, practice manager, dentists and dental nurse, who are all essential in the smooth running of the practice. However, there are other areas in dentistry where teamwork is also effective, especially in larger projects. One is oral health promo-
tion and prevention. This is especially important because the aim is to reduce the level of decay and improve oral health within different public sectors throughout Scotland. The focus is on not only healthy gums and teeth, but also the benefits of a healthy diet in conjunction with demonstrations on tooth- brushing techniques and oral hygiene aids. These three areas have
initially been the responsi- bility of key members of the dental team: the dentist and dental hygienist. The disad- vantage of this system was that it targeted the patients who regularly attended the dental practice and excluded those who were not regular attenders or could not access the service. Therefore, a new project was required to improve the oral health of people in Scotland.
secure dental health promo- tion and prevention from birth to secondary school was introduced that would involve midwives, health visi- tors, the education and dental sectors. This was, of course, the Childsmile programme. With this programme, there
“Additional duties can only enhance the role of the dental nurse”
The Scottish Executive’s
Action plan for oral health and modernising NHS dental services 2005 began by involving the public with discussion on their views and recommended improvements. The group discussed concerns such as the lack of dentists and limited access to dental service within areas of Scotland. The recommendations
to increase the numbers of dentists would thereby allow
more people to access a dental practice in their area, although this would require additional finance as more training would be required. The advantage would be that all target groups – adults, the disadvantaged, prisoners, the homeless, the elderly and people with special needs – would benefit. There was a strong focus on
the oral health of children, as the level of decay was particu- larly high. A programme to
came a new role and opportu- nity for additional training for dental nurses. The Childsmile training programme is deliv- ered by NHS education Scotland (NES) and covers a range of topics including caries and fluoride, applica- tion of fluoride, health/safety and infection control, breast- feeding/weaning and early nutrition and child protection. It also covers working
with children in the clinical/ community setting, health behaviour change, and action planning a Childsmile oral health promotion session. Additional duties can only enhance the role of the dental nurse. I have given oral health instruction and demonstra- tions to children and adults in the past. It is not only a rewarding experience, but can also act as a confidence builder. The introduction of the Childsmile programme is another positive training opportunity for the dental nurse and I hope many get the opportunity, support and encouragement to take part.
Scottish Dental magazine 19
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