Care Workers’ Performance of Oral Health Care for the Elderly and Correlating Factors

Objective: We analyzed care workers’ performance of oral health care for the elderly in care facilities, difficulties encountered during care, recognition of related barriers, and educational needs, to inform the development of educational and policy strategies to improve oral health care for the elderly. Methods: Data were collected from 194 care workers from Jun 2-27, 2025. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 27.0. The collected data were assessed via Chi-Squared test, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Duncan’s post hoc test, Pearson’s correlation, and hierarchical regression. Results: Lack of cooperation among the elderly was found to be the most significant barrier to providing effective oral care. Educational needs were particularly high for toothbrushing and denture care. Care workers lacking prior training demonstrated greater awareness of existing oral care barriers but lower performance levels. These findings highlight the crucial role of education in improving oral care competencies. Continuous structured training delivered by experienced dentists or dental hygienists is essential for enhance oral care quality for the elderly. Conclusions: Developing and implementing educational programs that strengthen care workers’ competencies in oral health care, that consider their work environment, will provide an important foundation for improving oral health care quality for the elderly.