Mouth Care Matters: Oral Health Specialty for Direct Care Workers

Mouth Care Matters (MCM) Pilot Yields Promising Results. The goal of the MCM oral health specialty training pilot project is to improve access to and quality of oral health for older Iowans who are homebound or live in nursing homes. The project holds promise to 1) create a system to ensure a direct care workforce that has the knowledge, skills, and confidence to serve the needs of the Iowans they serve, and provide an opportunity to grow professionally with a state-issued oral health specialty certification; 2) Provide direct care workers with the knowledge needed to place a higher priority on ensuring their clients receive oral care; 3) Help older Iowans remain healthier and living in their own homes longer; 4) Enhance the care of those in nursing homes; 5) Save the system and consumers money; 6) Institutionalizes the specialty training and standardized protocols in home care settings as prevention and quality assurance measures in all settings.