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ABSTRACT: Background
People with long-term care needs have significantly poorer oral health than their peers without care needs. Internationally, this is increasingly being addressed through interprofessional collaboration and expanded roles of nurses. This article investigates the perspectives of dentists and nurses in Germany on the current status and future of their collaboration in nursing homes.Methods
A total of eight expert interviews were conducted with four practising dentists and nurses from the Westphalia-Lippe region via Zoom or by telephone. The fully transcribed interview material was analyzed by thematic coding on a case-specific and cross-case basis.Results
From the perspective of the interviewees, collaboration of dentists and nurses is indispensable for promoting the oral health of nursing home residents. They describe a lack of time and competence in the oral and dental care of home residents, which should be countered with new roles of responsibility for specially qualified nurses in cooperation with dentists. At the same time, they advocate a stronger anchoring and embedding of (dental) medical care in the routines of nursing homes.Conclusion
New forms of cooperation between dentists and nurses in nursing homes should be piloted and further developed in Germany.
SUBMITTER: Hamacher M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9640861 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

Hamacher Marie M Weiß Cornelia C Hämel Kerstin K
Zeitschrift fur Gerontologie und Geriatrie 20221107 8
<h4>Background</h4>People with long-term care needs have significantly poorer oral health than their peers without care needs. Internationally, this is increasingly being addressed through interprofessional collaboration and expanded roles of nurses. This article investigates the perspectives of dentists and nurses in Germany on the current status and future of their collaboration in nursing homes.<h4>Methods</h4>A total of eight expert interviews were conducted with four practising dentists and ...[more]