Elderly residents of care homes in Belgium need better access to mobile dental care services, according to research by UZ Gent dentist Lynn Janssens.
The number of residents in care homes who are completely toothless has significantly decreased. In 2010, 42% of residents did not have any real teeth left, but this number fell to 29% in 2023, according to Janssens' research.
While the trend is positive, it also means that more complex dental care is needed for care home residents, particularly at a time when access to dental services is under pressure.
"Residents are keeping more of their teeth, but this also means that fillings are more often needed, or teeth may need to be removed," said Janssens.
Despite the greater need for oral care, vulnerable elderly people have difficulties in visiting dental practices. UZ Gent's solution is mobile dental services, which bring dental professionals directly to the elderly.
For the past 15 years, UZ Gent has been offering mobile dental care through the Gerodent programme in care homes in East and West Flanders. Dentists, assistants and dental hygienists provide on-site treatment with care home staff. The results are promising: 70% of participants in Gerodent maintain good to acceptable oral hygiene, compared to only 32% in facilities without the programme.
"Accessible dental care improves residents' well-being. They eat better, feel more comfortable, and have more social interactions," Janssens said.
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However, the future of Gerodent is uncertain. A third of the team's working hours are spent on travel and logistics – costs which are not covered by the traditional reimbursement system. Currently, these are covered by care homes, which are already struggling with rising costs and tight budgets.
Additionally, it is challenging to attract dentists to the programme. The work is physically demanding, the pay gap compared to private practice is substantial, and the residents often have complex medical conditions.
"Despite these challenges, our dentists find great fulfilment in their work due to the collaboration with care staff and the gratitude from residents," Janssens explained.
Gerodent is calling for a new funding model and aims to expand the mobile dental care service in the future. "The demand is high and will only grow," Janssens concluded. "We must not leave this group out in the cold."
