Eastman Expert Trains Providers at The Highlands

At their first dental in-service, nearly 60 nurses and aides at The Highlands in Brighton learned new information that will not only help improve care for the people they serve, but also for their own oral health.

“Seniors living at home and in skilled nursing facilities don’t always get the proper oral health care they need, for many reasons,” explained Dr. Adina Jucan, clinical assistant professor of Dentistry and Medicine at UR Medicine’s Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and a specialist in oral health care for seniors. “We talked about the relationship between oral health and systemic health, and how the mouth can show indicators of serious conditions like diabetes and leukemia, among many others.”

Dr. Jucan also explained that medications can cause dry mouth, which can lead to cavities. “Normally, we produce ample saliva to naturally protect our teeth,” Dr. Jucan explained. “Without that occurring, the incidence of decay in patients with dry mouth is increased.” In addition, reduced mobility due to arthritis may prevent patients from brushing or flossing well. Transportation to the dentist office may also present challenges for many seniors.

“Our providers understand the basics of taking care of dentures and brushing twice daily, but sometimes oral health care gets lost in the shuffle because of other immediate caregiving priorities,” explained Mary Hodges, RN BS, Education and Clinical Assessment manager “Many of the people who attended Dr. Jucan’s presentation said how interesting the speakers were, and happy about how much they learned.”  

“We’re delighted to partner with The Highlands for education, and to promote optimal oral health care for residents and staff,” Dr. Jucan said.

Dr. Jucan presented with Dr. Tahila Cohen, an Advanced Education in General Dentistry resident, as part of a prestigious grant she was awarded. The Geriatric Faculty Scholar is awarded to junior URMC faculty with a specific interest in inter-professional geriatric education and practice. Each grant recipient works with a mentor to create and implement an education program. Dr. Sharon Elad, chair, EIOH Oral Medicine, served as Dr. Jucan’s mentor.

Two online sessions will follow to assess retention and application of the information presented.