Dental experiences of providing dental care to mental health consumers

Objectives: Objective: Evidence suggests that mental health consumers are more likely to have poor oral health outcomes and less likely to receive appropriate dental health care, despite their high needs. Few studies have explored the experiences of dental health professionals’ engagement with mental health consumers. This study investigated some of the barriers and enablers to the provision of dental care to adult mental health consumers in the Perth metropolitan area, Western Australia from the perspective of dental health professionals.


Methods: Methods: A series of in-depth qualitative interviews were undertaken with a range of dental health professionals. These examined their perspectives and practices in providing oral health services to mental health consumers.

Results: Results: The findings from this research highlight the structural and systemic barriers within both public and private dental service systems that directly impact on the oral health care of many mental health consumers and the capacity of dental health professionals to provide an appropriate and adequate level of care. It highlights where resources and innovation is urgently required.

Conclusions: Conclusion: There is considerable scope for reconceptualising dental service delivery models to mental health consumers that could have enormous potential to change their dental and general health status.