Work Programme
Oral Health Promotion for People with Special Needs
The Dental Health Foundation will focus its energy on strengthening community action by responding to needs and working with communities to put in place appropriate information and education for people with special needs, their carers and the professions involved in their care. Achieving this goal will be reliant on working in close collaboration with oral health care professionals and building capacity with the broad range of support services in place. Defining and promoting these solutions in partnership with special needs clients will be fundamental to the process.
The Foundation's work programme includes:
The establishment of Oral Health Promotion priorities in collaboration with stakeholders so as oral health becomes embedded in the continuum of care for children at risk and the elderly.
Develop and implement a prioritised programme of advice and information on oral care for:
- Adults in care
- People with learning and physical disabilities
- People who are medically compromised e.g. patients with cancer, transplant, diabetes, or other chronic disease
- Carers in institutional and home settings
The rollout the 0-6 Oral Health Matters Programme developed by the Health Service Executive-North East in collaboration with the Dental Health Foundation and the School of Dental Science, Trinity College, Dublin.
The establishment of a National Oral Health information clearing house to improve communications and information flow for patients, carers and professionals
