EXPLODING THE MYTH –“IT’S NOT A HOSPITAL–IT ONLY HAS ONE WARD” –“CONVERSATION CAFE” AT COWAL COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

***DENTAL***

The Public Dental Service in CCH consists of the clinical team and the Oral Health Improvement team.

The clinical team provide a particular set of dental services, which include:

• Comprehensive care for people of all ages who have special needs and/or who are medically compromised and unsuitable for care in general dental practice
• Domiciliary care for housebound patients who are unable to attend the clinic
• Anxiety management service for anxious/phobic patients including inhalation and intravenous sedation.
• The department has a ceiling hoist for transferring wheelchair users to the dental chair
• Providing epidemiology work to support dental public health activity including screening of school children.
• In-hours emergency service for unregistered patients
• Dental care for hospital in-patients
• Care for patients who are otherwise unable to access high-street dental care due to addiction issues/complex social situations/homelessness
• Access to care under general anaesthesia via colleagues in GG&C and Oban
• Many patients are treated in a shared-care arrangement with local dental practitioners

The Oral Health Improvement team work in partnership with the clinical team and are responsible for:

• Delivering Scottish Government Oral Health Improvement programmes – Childsmile, Caring for Smiles, Smiles for Life, Open Wide

• Childsmile
– Toothbrushing programme in nursery and primary schools
– Fluoride varnish application in targeted nursery and primary schools
– Oral Health Support Workers offer home visits to parents of newborn babies in partnership with Health Visiting team, give oral health advice and support registration with dental services

•  Caring for Smiles
– Deliver accredited oral care training and non-accredited training to staff in local authority and independent care homes
– Deliver oral care training to home care staff
– Deliver oral care training to hospital staff

•  Smiles for Life
– Deliver oral care training and resources to agencies who support homeless population

•  Open Wide
Deliver oral care training to adults with additional care needs, their carer’s and staff who support them

•  Oral Health Education
– Primary and nursery oral health education programme delivered to all establishments in partnership with education staff
– Promote and support national campaigns – National Smile Month, No Smoking Day and Mouth Cancer Action Month
– Look out for Aileen’s current campaign in the foyer of the hospital for Mouth Cancer Action Month

How can I be referred?

• The PDS encourages and accepts referrals from a wide variety of health and social care workers.