Oral health in palliative care: perceptions of public dental practitioners in Sydney, Australia

Background: Poor oral health among people receiving palliative care is often overlooked among health professionals. Little is known about the experiences of dentists and the potential for an oral health model of care in the palliative setting. Methods: A focus group with 21 dentists was conducted in a public oral health service in Sydney, Australia. The focus group was audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed. Results: Three themes were identified: Awareness of oral health in palliative care; Challenges to providing oral health care; and A new model of care. While good oral health was perceived to be essential to palliative care management, there were key challenges that prevented adequate delivery of dental treatment. Participants highlighted the need for a new model of care in the future to include interdisciplinary training alongside the dissemination of appropriate protocols for dental training and streamlining referral pathways to prioritise people who may require more urgent dental treatment. Conclusion: Australian dentists working in a public dental service lack insight into planning dental care for palliative patients. Dentists show positive attitudes, but systemic barriers and training limit care provision. A palliative oral health care model is essential with interdisciplinary training, streamlined referrals, and teledentistry for urgent cases. Clinical Relevance The need for palliative care services is increasing in Australia due to an ageing population. Oral health problems are prevalent among palliative patients and impact their quality of life. However, the experiences and perspectives of dentists offering care to palliative patients in Australia remains poorly understood. Our study reveals challenges experienced by dentists in this context, identifies key systemic barriers, and discusses the need for integration of dental and palliative care services. Streamlined referral procedures, with the help of guidelines and protocols, will help provide optimal care and ensure better quality of life in this population.