Integrated oral care for patients with spinal cord injuries : perceptions of non-dental professionals

Purpose: To understand the oral health attitudes, knowledge, and practices among non dental professionals caring for patients with spinal cord injuries, as well as the barriers and facilitators to oral care across acute and rehabilitation hospital settings. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive qualitative study. Nine focus groups with spinal cord injury clinicians from two Sydney hospitals were conducted (n = 35). A thematic analysis was undertaken. Results: Four themes were constructed: understanding the impact of spinal cord injuries on oral health and wellbeing; limited support in the spinal cord injury unit to promote oral care; strategies that enable oral care promotion; and recommendations to expand scope in oral care and education. Although most clinicians considered oral health to be important there was a lack of guidelines to support standardised oral care practices. Barriers included lack of time, limited oral care resources, low priority and difficulty in accessing treatment. Staff were receptive to an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to oral care. Conclusion: This Australian first study provides insight into spinal cord injury clinicians’ knowledge and practices of oral care. The findings will help guide future research in developing appropriate models of care to promote oral health among patients with spinal cord injuries.