An assessment of the oral health knowledge and recall after a dental talk amongst nurses working with elderly patients: a pilot study*

OBJECTIVE: To assess the oral health knowledge amongst nurses working with elderly people in a local hospital run by a Primary Care Trust before and after a dental training talk. METHOD: Nursing staff working at Swanage Cottage Hospital completed a questionnaire designed to assess their knowledge of dental decay, periodontal disease, oral hygiene, denture care and palliative care. One month after receiving a dental talk, the questionnaire was redistributed to the participants. A t-test was used to compare the number of correct answers before and after the talk. RESULTS: Twenty members of the nursing staff completed the initial questionnaire and 14 completed it 1 month after the talk. Prior to the talk, of the 45 questions, the mean number of correct answers per member of staff was 23.95+/-3.83. One month after the talk this had risen by 25% to 34.9+/-3.83. This increase was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: A dental talk to a group of nursing staff caring for elderly people in a local hospital produced a significant increase in the level of oral health care knowledge.