Here, for the first time, she details her winning project – which may change the way oral care is delivered in a hospice setting.
Project aims
The award and this project mean a lot to me as I am aware that the oral health of patients in hospices is often not so much a primary priority as it is a peripheral concern. Though not surprising, this is disappointing as oral health can significantly impact upon an individual's quality of life.
Through my project I hope to identify where oral care stands in the priority list within palliative care by engaging with patients, their families and carers and hospice staff, to gain a patient centred perspective. Accessing this information isn't always easy to achieve due to the barriers that are present within such a setting. Selection processes often mean patient involvement is low, which can both limit and interfere with results. I hope that by using innovative digital technologies to collect information this may enable a more inclusive approach.
Once the research is complete, I plan to use the results to improve staff education and awareness within a hospice, which I hope will, in turn, improve patients’ oral health. For the purpose of the project, the research will only be conducted and used within one hospice as a trial run.
Where it all began
Since studying special care dentistry at postgraduate level, I have developed a deep interest in devising new ways to improve oral heath and bring focus to the patient during this process. I have also come to realise that if times and trends have moved on in other areas, why should research and collecting data be any different? You simply need to look at existing work to see that most research is typically conducted using very traditional methods – techniques that aren’t necessarily the most effective way of collating the required information anymore. When I discovered that methodologies, such as interviews and questionnaires, produce low patient uptake, I knew it was time to take action.
Technology
Thus, it is my intention to use technological solutions – such as digital posters – to gain opinions from groups of people from whom it has been difficult to access information from in the past. Non-invasive and non-interfering, I believe that a digital device is an ideal solution for stripping the feedback process of perceived notions of pressure. It is my intention that in its place, individuals experience a sense of flexibility and freedom to provide as much or as little data as they want. The plan may also implement technologies that offer the option to record feedback in audio format. From an ethical perspective, this ensures complete freedom of choice and offers the comfort of being able to remain anonymous.
The evolution of the project
Since launching the project I have made a few changes, but the intended outcome remains the same and I am confident that the evolution of the project will benefit the final result.
Originally, I intended to collect data then apply interactive technology to promote oral health. With the help of Newcastle University’s Open Lab department, however, I have come to realise just how powerful technology can be, which is why I now intend to use digital solutions for all aspects of the project.
Consequently, I have spent the last couple of months working alongside Open Lab, who are known for using and developing technologies to enhance and support health and service care services, creating ingenious solutions that will achieve the aims of the project.
Once ethical approval has been gained, I intend to devote my time to studying the outcomes of the findings and look forward to discovering what the priorities regarding oral health are within the hospice setting. If people within the hospice engage with this project, the research findings could potentially provide real scope to other professionals in both dental and health and social care.
In modern dentistry, technology is becoming an accepted way of communicating and accessing information. Even though there is limited research conducted with the use of digital devices that addresses the patient, family and staff perspective right now, I believe that similar methods will come to the fore in dentistry in time.
For more information about the ADG visit www.dentalgroups.co.uk