A Conceptual Model for Person-centred Oral Health Care Planning in Home Settings: Operationalising the World Health Organisation Global Oral Health Strategy in Home-Based Care

Background As more people live longer with multiple chronic conditions, health systems should evolve toward integrated, adaptive, and collaborative models of care, driven by lifelong learning and innovation to meet the complex needs of ageing populations. Despite its critical role in healthy ageing, oral health is often overlooked in home-based care, and the lack of conceptual models in cross-sector contexts hinders integrated planning and healthy ageing. As such, the aim of the study is to propose a conceptual model for collaborative oral health care planning in home settings, grounded in person-centered care principles. Methods A participatory action research approach was employed over a seven-year period (2018–2025) in western Sweden. Mixed methods were applied across nine scientific studies, involving older adults and municipal and public dental care professionals in home care contexts. Iterative cycles of data collection and analysis were used to integrate subjective experiences, clinical assessments, and shared decision-making into a model for oral health care planning. Results A conceptual model for collaborative oral health care planning is proposed. The model supports a shift i) from treatment-focused interventions to oral health care planning embedded in everyday care ii) From viewing oral health in isolation, to seeing it as part of a person’s total health and life context iii) From focusing on disease, to promoting lifelong learning, health and resources. Conclusions This model addresses fragmentation in oral health care planning by linking individual preferences with system-level structures. It offers a scalable framework aligned with global health policy, notably the WHO Global Strategy on Oral Health, and promotes innovation and integration in home-based care. By embedding oral health within person-centred care planning, the model offers actionable pathways for more equitable, sustainable, and collaborative ageing care. Clinical trial number: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06310798. Registered on 13 March 2024.