INSIGHTS
Insights
Plain-English guidance on oral health in Australian residential aged care: the strengthened Quality Standards, oral health assessment, and what good evidence of care looks like. From the team behind Smile Advisor, founded by a practising dentist.
From reactive referrals to proactive oral health management in aged care
Strengthened Standard 5 replaces the reactive referral default with a mandatory cycle of assessment, prevention, planning and review. This article sets out what that four-element proactive oral health management cycle looks like in practice and how to make it evidenceable at audit.
The new Aged Care Act and oral health: what changed on 1 November 2025
Plain-English walkthrough of the Aged Care Act 2024: what commenced on 1 November 2025, where oral health now sits in strengthened Quality Standard 5, and a practical policy re-check list for clinical leads.
The Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT): a plain-English guide for aged care facilities
A plain-English explanation of what OHAT is, how its eight categories work, and how results connect to care plans and dental referrals under the strengthened Quality Standards.
Oral and dental care in aged care: what the strengthened Quality Standards expect
Oral health is a named focus of Strengthened Quality Standard 5 (clinical care). Where it sits in the Standards, and the six things a residential provider should be able to evidence.