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Oral health is an essential, yet often neglected, aspect of care in the elderly population. A mouth free of pain and disease which is functional, comfortable and aesthetic improves quality of life. Following the shocking reports of patient neglect and abuse published in the Francis Report, the dental profession must acknowledge that there are longstanding deficiencies in the provision of oral healthcare for the elderly, whether residing in care homes, hospitals or at home with support. It must be a universal goal to improve the care provision for this population through developing a greater understanding and overcoming the multi-factorial barriers to care. This article will highlight the key features of the Francis Report and its significance in the context of oral healthcare provision for the elderly. Clinical Relevance: To provide insight into the oral healthcare needs of the growing elderly population and the necessity of dealing with the current limitations in service provision.

This article explores the potential implications of the Francis Report for members of the dental team from a dento-legal perspective. It looks at the broad recommendations in light of the existing ethical environment in which dental registrants work and asks what is new and what the recommendations will actually mean for dental professionals in practical terms. Clinical Relevance: The fundamental recommendations of the Francis Report, namely, that those who provide care should put patients' interests first and be open about outcomes and performance, are not new concepts. A breach of these ethically based expectations may, however, create grounds for legal proceedings, which is clearly a significant point for all members of the dental team. It is therefore important to be aware of what is expected of those providing clinical care.

The professional regulators were identified in the Francis Report as having a central role in maintaining fundamental standards of care. This paper describes the key themes in the Report and the importance of regulatory powers to ensure that the serious failings in patient care highlighted by the Mid-Staffs Inquiry cannot be repeated. The central role of the GDC Standards in the profession's response to the Francis Report is stressed. Clinical Relevance: The importance of our professional regulator in ensuring adherence to fundamental standards of care is a central tenet of clinical dentistry.

Unlabelled: Quality assurance (QA) is essential in dental radiography. Digital radiography is becoming more common in dentistry, so it is important that appropriate QA tests are carried out on the digital equipment, including the viewing monitor. The aim of this article is to outline the tests that can be carried out in dental practice., Clinical Relevance: Quality assurance for digital equipment is important to ensure consistently high quality images are produced.