Introduction

Nursing home residents and care-dependent adults are a vulnerable population often facing neglected oral health due to caregiver time constraints, lack of training, and the low prioritization of non-emergent care. Nurse aides, responsible for a wide range of tasks, often struggle to complete daily oral care. To address this gap, dental professionals must play a key role in educating caregivers on the importance of oral health and equipping them to better meet the oral care needs of their patients. This course aims to provide best practices and verbiage for dentists, hygienists, and other dental personnel to effectively train nursing home staff on maintaining residents' oral health. We will also discuss relevant government regulations, the specific oral health challenges faced by this population, and practical strategies to improve caregiver education and patient outcomes.