Project summary
The University of Southern Queensland in partnership with Oral Tech AI Pty Ltd, Hawkshaw Pty Ltd and UnitingCare Community has been awarded an ARIIA grant for their project ‘Nowlanvil championing oral health for general health’.
This proposed translational project aims to optimise oral health awareness, education, screening and referral using a digital health platform at Blue Care’s Nowlanvil residential care facility in Ipswich Queensland. This project extends the facilities 2021 Primary Health Network funded oral health educational strategy that improved oral health care for residents. Persistent issues remain with gaining access to registered dental practitioners for oral health screenings and referrals. This project bridges that gap for residents by linking clinical decision making and responsibility by a dentist through a digital health platform.
Smilo is a registered digital health platform that uses images of teeth and gums for oral health screening by producing an ‘Oral Health Rating’ that assists with referral processes. A registered dentist assesses the photographic images for each resident and provides professional advice and guidance for appropriate emergency care or referral pathway. Staff education and support is prioritised with a comprehensive education program in oral hygiene and Smilo digital health application processes. Nowlanvil champions will work with project facilitators to support staff and integrate Smilo into resident assessments and care plans.
Evaluation includes resident journeys, pre-and-post surveys, and adaptation and customisation of the Smilo digital health platform to aged care.
Project outcomes
Background and Aims
Aim: To implement, evaluate and customise an oral health screening program, using a digital health platform (Smilo.ai) in residential aged care.
Background: Oral health in residential care facilities in Australia is mostly provided by unregulated staff. Registered nurses oversee care and report a high incidence of dental pain and infection. Oral health screening tools are not available in-facility for general use. In Australia in 2019-20, around 67,000 hospitalisations for dental conditions, pain, and infection may have been prevented with earlier treatment. have a greater risk of serious health problems including increased plaque, gingival bleeding, and mucosal lesions.
What We Did
We utilised a co-designed approach using participatory action research to implement and evaluate a GenAI digital oral health screening application in residential aged care. A mixed method approach included oral health screening surveillance analysis, surveys and in-depth resident and family interviews.
Outcomes
Results indicated that 73% of residents were at moderate to high risk of oral health problems. 1 in 4 residents had seen a dentist in the past 12 months with 1 in 4 residents experiencing pain or discomfort in their mouths. 43% of residents found wearing dentures uncomfortable and residents expressed concern with affordability and access to oral health care and dental intervention. Staff education on oral health care needs improved post on site education sessions. Results identified a mean score for oral health knowledge from a pre and post education survey series increase in staff knowledge from 5.30 (SD = 1.93) before the education sessions to 16.61 (SD = 1.94) after the education. This change reflects a mean change of 11.30 in the oral health knowledge score for registered nurses, enrolled nurses and care worker staff.
Impact on Aged Care and Workforce
The project identified that the use of digital technology can improve oral health referrals and care plans. Registered nurse decision making with interdisciplinary teams of doctors, dentists and oral hygienists can be informed by GenAI digitally generated in-facility oral health reports. Staff education can enhance oral health hygiene practices with a resident centric lens. Residents can engage in oral health screening without leaving the facility.
Key Contact for Further Information
Melissa Taylor - melissa.taylor@usq.edu.au
Associate Professor | School of Nursing and Midwifery
Program Director, Post Graduate Nursing
Project Lead West Moreton Region Care Collaboratives