prevention and treatment of oral health problems. Maintaining the oral health of residents in residential care facilities requires a multidisciplinary approach to address these issues. The incorporation of the oral health therapist into the residential aged care facility, as part of a multidisciplinary approach with nursing staff, is suggested to demonstrate an effective and efficient use of health resources. The oral health therapist can provide individualized oral hygiene care plans, routine dental care, and help provide education, preventative programmes and ongoing support and motivation to nursing staff. Having the oral health therapist implement and manage an oral health training programme that is then executed by a registered nurse, who is the oral health leader, and who has received oral health education by the oral health therapist. They are then able to carry out and enforce the programme whilst the oral health therapist is not there. This would encourage better integration, education and motivation of nurses and care staff into oral hygiene care delivery. Increasing the ability and confidence of staff when performing oral health care for residents and being able to identify oral health care problems when they arise. The emphasis needs to be on good end of life oral care, through prevention and maintenance rather than advanced dental treatments. This is where the oral health therapist could fill that niche in residential care facilities. Barriers to effective cleaning An ageing population involving an increased retention of teeth, often with complex restorations, is expected to increase the demand for dental care in older people. As people age they attend dental services less frequently, and face a number of barriers to accessing dental care. This involves clinics not being easily accessible for frail, disabled or functionally dependant elderly who have limited mobility, and are wheelchair dependant and/or cognitively impaired. Access is often even more difficult for elderly residing in residential aged care facilities. As people age and become frail, disabled or functionally dependant, their oral health is put at great risk, due to a variety of health problems or disabilities that impact on the ability for them to provide their own oral cares. This may be related to issues that are associate with: Cognitive impairment – such as Dementia and Alzheimers which results in uncooperative behaviour due to confusional states Functional limitations – such as poor dexterity, strength or pain resulting from hand and upper limb dysfunction, and diminished eyesight Functional