Pressing issues for oral care quality improvement: findings from the EU DELIVER project.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: While oral health often takes a backseat to other health domains, it silently affects nearly half of the Worldwide population. The DELIVER project, funded by the EU's Horizon Europe program, seeks to develop a blueprint model for improving the quality of oral health care for everyone. METHODS: Applying the Nominal Group Technique (NGT), 17 stakeholders from various backgrounds participated in identifying pressing issues for oral care quality improvement across practice, community, and policy levels. RESULTS: The results revealed significant differences at the different levels, with accessibility emerging as a prominent issue, encompassing affordability, availability, and acceptability of oral healthcare services. CONCLUSIONS: These findings emphasizes the need for policy reforms, increased investments, and a shift towards preventive and patient-centered dental care practices. It highlights the importance of collaborative efforts with multi-stakeholders and prioritizing pressing issues on a multi-level to drive positive change in improving oral care quality.