Dental pilot scheme for pharmacies

Five pharmacies in County Durham took part in a pilot oral health intervention scheme with over 1,000 patients participating. 72% of participants said the scheme improved their oral health knowledge and 66% said they would change their habits. Claire Jones, public health pharmacy adviser, Durham County Council, said: “The success of this scheme did help to keep oral health training on the agenda for community pharmacies. In addition, oral health became one of the local targets for pharmacies in County Durham in the 2018/19 award. And lastly, oral health in children is now a focus in the current national quality payment scheme for pharmacies.”
Now, a five-minute oral health intervention pilot scheme has been launched in pharmacies in the north east of England, which comprises advising patients on how best to brush their teeth and checking what products they are using. Andrew Sturrock, principal lecturer and programme leader, said: “This started as a simple idea, based on my research looking at the role of community pharmacies. Pharmacists are well-trained healthcare professionals, easily accessible and frequently visited by patients. We know there are people who don’t have a dentist, have phobias about treatment or avoid regular check-ups. The pharmacy is certainly not taking over the dentists’ role. This is just about giving some really basic healthcare advice and signposting patients in the right direction. It’s also about trying to prevent people from needing dental treatment later on, potentially saving millions on NHS treatment.”