Foundation dentists' attitudes and experiences in providing dental care for dependant older adults resident in care home settings.

Introduction: There is a continued increase of older dependant adults in England. Foundation Dentists (FDs) are often the dental workforce being tasked with providing dental care to dependant older adults resident in care home settings. This study explores whether FDs have the experience and confidence to deliver this.

Aim: This service evaluation aimed to explore FDs' attitudes, perceptions and experiences delivering dentistry to dependant older adults' resident in care home settings; to help inform workforce and service delivery planning.

Methods: All North West England (NW) FDs were invited to complete a semi-structured questionnaire at a regional study session. Results were analysed using descriptive and thematic analysis.

Results: There were 93 (80.1%) respondents, with the majority aged 20-24 years old (56, 60.2%), female (57, 61.3%) and with an United Kingdom undergraduate dental degree (88, 94.6%). Most respondents had no experience in delivering care in a care home setting at either undergraduate (85, 91.4%) or FD level (84, 90.3%). Only 14 respondents (15.1%) reported confidence to deliver dentistry in a care home setting.

Conclusion: To deliver dental care for dependant older adults resident in care home settings, FDs require additional training and clinical support. There is a need to review the undergraduate dental curriculum and NHS postgraduate training programmes to increase knowledge and skills for this vulnerable group.