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Updated: Oct 3, 2026
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Mobile dentistry and digital dentures in aged care placements: dental students' experiences and perceptions
Archana Pradhan1, Zakia Sultana Happy1, Rahena Akhter1
1School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Background:
Accessing dental care for residents of Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) is challenging especially for conventional prosthodontic care. This burden is exacerbated by multi-level barriers spanning individual, professional, institutional, and health-system domains. Strengthening alignment between innovations in technology, dental education and service delivery is crucial in addressing the increasing oral health needs of the ageing population. This paper reports on dental students' experiences and perceptions of interdisciplinary aged care placements, incorporating mobile dentistry and exposure to digital denture workflows within RACFs.
Methods:
A cross-sectional mixed-methods educational evaluation was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire completed by dental students who participated in RACF placements (2025-2026). The placements provided onsite dental care using portable dental equipment under the supervision of a Specialist in Special Needs Dentistry and a dental prosthetist. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively using frequencies and percentages, and qualitative responses were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis.
Results:
Students reported positive perceptions regarding interdisciplinary learning and collaboration, application of digital denture workflows and increased awareness of oral healthcare inequities among frail older adults. They also identified barriers associated with outreach oral healthcare delivery within RACFs, including patient frailty, cognitive impairment, communication difficulties, and logistical challenges associated with mobile dentistry and digital workflows.
Conclusion:
This preliminary evaluation suggests interdisciplinary RACF placements integrating mobile dentistry and digital denture workflows can provide valuable experiential learning opportunities and support students' understanding of geriatric oral healthcare, mobile dentistry, and digital dentistry workflows.
