The National Oral Care Initiative Steering Group led by the National Oral Health Office is currently developing a National Oral Care Support Guideline (Supporting Smiles) and accompanying oral care education programme for all healthcare workers providing oral care for adults living in and attending HSE and HSE funded settings in line with the Department of Health National Oral Health Policy - Smile agus Sláinte (DoH, 2019).

This email contains a link to an important survey and your input is required to help us identify education and training needs of health care workers in Ireland regarding the assessment and management of oral care.

The purpose of this survey is to identify current practice and potential gaps that exist in relation to oral care currently being provided in health care settings or a person’s home.  Oral care knowledge and skills are needed for all persons, family members, nurses, health and social care workers who provide or support oral care as part of general care for dependent people. This oral care support could be provided in HSE settings such as hospitals, residential centres, Section 38, Section 39 facilities and homes for older people and people with an intellectual disability.

The knowledge gained from this survey will enable the HSE to develop the ‘Supporting Smiles’ programme which will be an evidence based programme that supports standardised training in oral care.

The very important survey questionnaire will probably take less than 10 minutes to complete, and we would really appreciate your cooperation in completing and submitting it by 30th June 2024.

Click here to access the survey.