Oral-B grant winner uses funds to help dementia patients

Ann Benson Ross, RDH, is transforming the way elderly in her community of Mesa, AZ, and surrounding areas, receive oral care.

A dental hygienist for more than 20 years, Ross has spent the last year using her $5,000 Crest Oral-B Pros in the Profession Advancing Oral Health in the Community grant to upgrade the Mobile Dentistry of Arizona's portable office, provide dental services to elderly dementia patients who have limited access to oral care, and train staff so they can continue to help patients maintain their oral health routines.

Ross was awarded the Crest Oral-B Pros in the Profession grant in 2012 to fulfill her goal of providing preventive care for residents of local memory care communities, including x-rays, assessments, oral cancer screenings, cleanings, and fluoride varnishes to eligible residents.

The project also gave caregivers basic information about oral health and hands-on care so they could maintain their residents' daily oral regimens. The hands-on training was held with patients and their caregivers at three different times -- morning, evening, and before bedtime -- for residents with mild, moderate, and advanced dementia. To help maintain a daily oral care regimen, each participating resident and caregiver received an Oral-B power toothbrush and Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health products, including toothpaste, rinse, and floss.

Ross is also producing a training video to be shared with health providers throughout the community that will include photos and testimonials of patients who participated in the project. This video will be given to all memory care communities visited by Mobile Dentistry of Arizona to instruct caregivers on oral hygiene tips and best practices when working with dementia patients at every stage of the condition.