Providing High-Quality Training to Care Home Staff

Penny Priddy RDH is a dental hygienist, with over 37 years of experience, previously working in both NHS and private practices, and focusing on the treatment and prevention of periodontal disease. In recent years, Penny has devoted her time to providing oral health care services to care/nursing homes, health care professionals, organisations of care providers, and members of the wider community. Penny has presented at the BSDHT regional meetings, Oral Health Conference, and has submitted articles to dental journals, and local magazines. She is a member of the Parkinson’s Society, 3 Nations Dementia Working Group, and Autistic Society. 

“Having enjoyed my working time in surgery, I have now branched out in designing and delivering specialised oral health care training programmes for staff in care/nursing homes. The CPD is registered and my presentations consist of one hour theory, with slides, and one hour of practical, allowing for plenty of interaction. CPD certificates are issued to attendees. Following certain formalities an ‘overall’ certificate may be issued to the care homes. I have found that by the end of the two-hour training course, attendees have not only taken on board the advice to help care home residents, but to help themselves too!" 

“In my experience, the personal element is particularly important, especially as many people now exclusively provide training online following COVID. Generally, in the care environment, people prefer face to face, so I am prepared to travel. Feedback has shown me that, during in-person sessions, people feel more comfortable asking questions and enjoy a more valuable learning experience. I also stay in contact following training, maintaining continuity over the phone to answer any questions they might have, and offer support." 

“In a world where dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, and even lip fillers are becoming more popular, it’s important that we don’t lose focus on prevention, especially in settings where residents are more vulnerable. I believe that education is important to ensure people utilise the best possible oral health solutions for them. ‘Prevention is better than cure', and we all have a right to it." 

“At the moment, I am training a variety of care providers, these amazing people are helping others to maintain their independence. However, and very sadly, in some settings there is minimal oral health care. Similarly, when working with care agencies, oral hygiene is way down the bottom of the list.” 

Environments such as care homes present a number of unique challenges when it comes to improving standards of oral health for their residents. Penny elaborates: 

“On occasions, after making regular contact with managers of care homes, it can reveal that oral health has slipped from their list of priorities. I have found that the other biggest challenge is staff not knowing how to, or being able to, get hold of appropriate equipment for oral hygiene maintenance. In an effort to combat this, following a training session, I provide a bespoke oral health care sundries box to the care home (CQC approved!). These contain the products I have recommended in my training, which means that staff can easily reach for specific tools to help solidify the skills they have learnt, thus following it through with confidence." 

“BioMin^® toothpaste is included in the sundries box, to ensure that care home staff can easily get hold of this high-quality solution when they need it. With a tailored fluoride concentration of 530ppm I have found that it is a great alternative to high-fluoride toothpastes, like Duraphat^®, traditionally prescribed by a dentist. This enables care home residents to gain the BioMin^® preventative formula without the need for a prescription and the associated appointments. This is ideal for people who are vulnerable or who have limited mobility.”

For individuals with limited mobility or cognitive decline, maintaining perfect brushing technique is often not possible. BioMin^® offers a critical advantage in these settings. Its responsive, controlled-release technology continues to protect teeth for up to 12 hours after brushing. This means even imperfect brushing delivers extended benefits, continuously releasing calcium, phosphate, and fluoride to protect enamel, reduce sensitivity, and neutralise acids throughout the day. In care home environments where brushing frequency or technique may be compromised, BioMin^® provides lasting oral care when it's needed most. Penny comments on the benefits she feels it offers residents when they transition to care homes:

“BioMin^® is user friendly, has a mild mint flavour, and is cost-effective when used long-term. It’s dairy-free, zinc-free, and paraben-free, making it a fantastic option for a wide range of residents. When people are living independently, there seems to be a void in which people are not receiving oral health education and support. I believe that BioMin^® can be a preventative measure, which can be used when living in their own home and continued once they’ve moved into a care home. This type of preventative care can reduce the need to go to the dentist for a prescription, along with avoiding invasive treatment, which can be costly and emotionally traumatising to those vulnerable people."

“As such, I am planning to carry out more training with agencies who provide home visits. In this scenario, if a care worker thinks that an individual is at risk of decay, they will have BioMin^® in their armoury. Whilst I do not diagnose, my OHC assessments offer guidance towards applying preventive measures."

“So far, I feel that my work has had a positive impact on these settings. Additionally, I feel that this is further magnified when I provide individual oral health care support visits, highlighting the unique needs of each resident. I feel it is a privilege to work with and support like-minded health care professionals. I have made strong and valuable relationships, which are both professional and personal. My work continues!”