Mili Doshi a specialist dental consultant, East Surrey Hospital, and lead clinician for the Mouth Care Matters programme, delivered an inspiring presentation about oral health care in hospital at “Putting your money where mouth is- realizing the benefits of integrating oral health in your STPs” Expo2017, Manchester Sept 2017.

The  Mouth Care Matters(MCM) programme demonstrate a paradigm shift in the way oral health care being delivered at the Kent, Surrey and Sussex NHS Trusts, which deserve to be amplified to a wider audience, for more click here.  The importance of financial investment in oral health must not be underestimated. Oral health training for all staff and commitment to the integration of oral health in general health care, are just as important as financial investment.

Participating Trusts need to follow 4 simple principles:

1. Knowledge: provide staff with knowledge why mouth care is so important
2. Skills: ensure staff are skilled to provide good mouth care
3. Products: patients have access to mouth care products
4. Support: staff have support from staff with enhanced oral health skills

All things being equal, successful Trusts, are those who implement a mouth care policy, set up mandatory mouth care training for all staff, and have mouth care lead and mouth care nurses, part of the health team.

Mili Doshi and her team are developing accredited training modules for oral health for palliative care, care homes, oral health practitioners in the community, a dementia friendly programme  and a lot more,  listen to Mili’s podcast,  Expo2017 presentation.