Elderly residents of the Brookeside Skilled Nursing Home received free oral health assessments this May thanks to the Geriatric Oral Health Access Program (GOHAP) a CDA Foundation grant funded pilot project.
CDA Foundation’s GOHAP Begins Oral Health Assessments At San Mateo Nursing Hospital
This May, several residents of a San Mateo long-term care facility received a free oral health assessment, thanks to a CDA Foundation grant funded pilot project known as the Geriatric Oral Health Access Program (GOHAP).
The CDA Foundation embarked on GOHAP in partnership with the San Mateo County Dental Society and California Dental Hygienists’ Association to develop solutions to complex issues confronting seniors in long-term care facilities. The program is designed to develop and test an innovative model of care, quantify the effects of a personalized oral health regimen, and compile data to assess improvements in access to oral health care using this model.
Utilizing Registered Dental Hygienists in Alternative Practice (RDHAPs), in partnership with the dentist of record at Brookside Skilled Nursing Hospital in San Mateo, the pilot project includes performing oral health assessments of the residents, developing hygiene protocols, and determining appropriate treatment plans for necessary treatment. To date, almost 20 residents of Brookside have received an oral health assessment and needed dental treatment is currently being coordinated.
To help the residents with their daily oral hygiene routine, Brookside’s staff will be educated on proper oral health care ensuring they have the knowledge and skills to assist and care for their patients. The first staff training was held June 24 and addressed the dental disease process. Additional trainings on prevention and providing oral health care to resistant patients will follow. “Brookside is very excited to partner with the CDA Foundation’s GOHAP to provide our residents with increased dental services and our employees with more training in dealing with dental needs of long-term facility residents,” says Brookside Administrator Greg Bogart.
Throughout the next year, each of the resident’s oral health status will be monitored and evaluated and the lessons learned from this project will be valuable in potentially duplicating this effort in other facilities as well as to support future legislative efforts.
