Impact of Interprofessional Nursing–Dental Care Programs on Patient Safety and Oral-Systemic Health Outcomes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.4855Keywords:
Interprofessional collaboration, nursing-dental integration, patient safety, oral-systemic health, periodontal disease, healthcare-associated infectionsAbstract
The integration of nursing and dental care through structured interprofessional programs represents a critical advancement in modern healthcare, directly addressing the well-established bidirectional relationship between oral and systemic health. By dismantling traditional silos, these collaborative models significantly enhance patient safety by preventing hospital-acquired infections like ventilator-associated pneumonia, reducing medication errors through shared health records, and ensuring safer care transitions. Concurrently, they improve concrete oral-systemic health outcomes, exemplified by better glycemic control in diabetics, reduced systemic inflammation, and improved quality of life. Despite facing barriers related to professional culture and reimbursement, the evidence strongly supports that such teamwork is essential for comprehensive, safe, and effective patient care, transforming the oral cavity from an isolated focus into a vital component of holistic health management.
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