News & Links
<< News & Links11/04/2007
Engaging with technology to improve dental care for wheelchair users in the NHS
One of our user organisations published this report on how the diaco® dental chair is changing the dental care they provide to their wheelchair users.
Lead NHS Organisation - Nottinghamshire County tPCT
What did you set out to achieve?
Our aim was to improve dental care for wheelchair users. Disability Discrimination Act money has allowed the Nottingham Community Dental Service to purchase a new type of dental chair - the diaco® dental chair - which allows patients to remain in the comfort and safety of their own chair for treatment. In addition, the dentist can also treat the patient from their usual seated position behind the patient. It is safe for all treatments, allowing better care whilst eliminating the need for manual handling or hoisting.
Who do you expect to benefit and how are you doing it?
As a service we have found we are providing an increasing amount of dental care to patients, both adults and children, who are wheelchair bound. Previously the only options available to us to provide treatment were to transfer the patient to the 'normal' dental chair, with the inherent risks of manual handling and lifting or the dentist had to lean over the wheelchair which involves problems of back safety and inadequate access, ultimately limiting treatment. The aims of the service change therefore, were to improve the ease with which care could be provided benefiting both patients and staff.
Who is helping and contributing and how do you know you are achieving your goals?
Funding was made available to the dental service through Disability Discrimination Act monies. Access to the surgery itself was improved by widening the door so we can now accommodate all mass manufactured electric and manual wheelchairs. All staff have undergone training with the diaco® dental chair, to enable us to explain the concept to the patients and carers and information leaflets are available. Several key members of staff have been identified as 'providers' and undergone full training provided by diaco.
Have there been any unexpected benefits and what are your next steps?
The dental service is now not only using the diaco® dental chair to improve treatment for our own wheelchair users but we have informed all General Dental Practitioners within Nottingham of the service development and we are accepting referrals from them.
Any other information?
The diaco® dental chair itself is an innovative piece of technology and has only recently become available. We are one of the first community dental services to be able to offer the improved care to our patients whilst also benefiting the staff caring for them.
Note for editor
a. The mobile chair is suitable for use with any standard manual or electric wheelchair, so that patients with any type of disability can be treated. The chair's 500kg capacity means there is no restriction on a patient's weight and problems associated with treating obese able-bodied patients are overcome, as the unit can also be used for those patients not confined to a wheelchair. The backrest and headrest on the diaco® dental chair can be adjusted to any position. For wheelchairs with integral headrests, the unit's backrest and headrest can be removed or used as a head support in conjunction with the wheelchair's headrest.
