PRO Tand professionalisation of denturists
Care by dental prosthetists is evolving. Aging populations and complex needs demand professional, evidence-based prosthetic dental care. We study their role in elderly oral health, develop a practical guide for lifelong prosthetic care, and create a tool to measure oral health-related quality of life.
Objective
The aim of the project is to investigate how the dental prosthetist can contribute to the overall health, oral health, and quality of life of vulnerable elderly people and collaborate with other healthcare professionals in this regard. The results contribute to the professionalization and positioning of the dental prosthetist profession within healthcare.
The professional association and education program support the field’s professionalization. Key priorities include collaboration, task expansion, and positioning dental prosthetists in oral care and nursing homes. High-quality prosthetic care can significantly improve oral health and quality of life for patients with removable appliances.
Results
- Better positioning of the dental prosthetist in healthcare
- Practical guide for dental prosthetic care for care-dependent elderly
- Validated questionnaire to measure the impact of dental prosthetic care on oral quality of life
Duration
01 July 2025 - 30 June 2027
Approach
This study uses interviews, focus groups, literature and file analysis, and co-design. Together with professionals and patients, a tool is developed for appropriate prosthetic dental care. A questionnaire is tested and validated to measure the impact on quality of life in edentulous older adults.
Impact for education
This project aims to support practice by investigating the role, position, and added value of the dental prosthetist in healthcare, how the dental prosthetist can contribute to oral health, the oral health-related quality of life of the elderly, and collaborate with other healthcare professionals in this regard. The results contribute to the professionalization and positioning of the dental prosthetist profession within healthcare and impact the (oral) health of a large group of elderly people in the Netherlands.
