St. Joseph’s Health System to evaluate the delivery of preventive dental services to high-risk patients in its Home Care Program
St. Joseph’s Health System, in collaboration with CHX Technologies, is launching a study to determine the feasibility of using a new at-home, preventative dental treatment called Prevora as a convenient approach to improve oral health among those receiving home healthcare services.
Many patients receiving home healthcare services experience poor oral health because they have difficulty maintaining good oral hygiene, cannot easily get to the dentist, or have a medical condition such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or congestive heart failure (CHF) that is interrelated with inflammation of the gums. Moreover, poor oral health can lead to extra visits to the doctor and more hospital care.
Starting in Hamilton, this first-of-its-kind study will examine the use and delivery of Prevora to avoid compounding health problems and costly care visits, while evaluating improvements in oral health, general health, and quality of life for patients in home care.
Prevora (DIN 02046245) is an antiseptic coating applied to all surfaces of the teeth, up to and including the gum line, that manages the bacteria causing poor oral health. The non-invasive treatment is painless and can be delivered conveniently, quickly, and without aerosols. Prevora has been shown in over 20 years of controlled studies and in Canadian dental and medical practices to be safe, effective, and well accepted by thousands of adults with a high risk of poor oral health.
“As the Government of Canada develops a new national dental plan for high-risk groups, it is timely to assess how non-invasive preventive dental care can be integrated into our overall healthcare system,” said Carrie Beltzner, Interim President of St. Joseph’s Home Care and principal investigator of the study. “This feasibility study is particularly exciting because it is the first to work out the delivery of preventive oral healthcare by a hygienist-nurse team during routine home care visits,” added Beltzner.
The study is co-sponsored by CHX Technologies and Innovation Factory’s Southern Ontario Pharmaceutical and Health Innovation Ecosystem (SOPHIE) program and is being facilitated through The Research Institute of St. Joe’s Hamilton. It will enroll up to 30 patients with COPD or CHF and observe improvements in oral health, blood markers of inflammation, cholesterol and glucose, improvements in respiratory conditions, additional costs of care, and quality of life over five months of home care visits. Prevora will be applied during a routine home care visit and patients will be assessed on their oral health status during subsequent visits. The study’s results are expected in the second quarter of 2024.
Prospective study participants living with COPD or CHF and enrolled in St. Joe’s Integrated Comprehensive Care program in the Hamilton Region are encouraged to email innovation@stjoes.ca for more information.
About St. Joseph’s Home Care
St. Joseph’s Home Care operates its Integrated Comprehensive Care (ICC) program – Canada’s largest integrated care program with over 35,000 hospital bed days saved since 2012, up to 30% reduction in ED visits and increased patient and family confidence. St. Joseph’s Home Care is an integral partner within St. Joseph’s Health System in the development of new models of integrated care and has been providing high quality, values-based home and community services since 1921 in a spirit of compassion and dedication. It has evolved from a nursing agency to offering a much broader range of services, and its steadfast commitment to delivering exemplary client-focused care continues.
About CHX Technologies
CHX Technologies is a research-based Canadian pharmaceutical company and developer of Prevora. CHX’s mission is to develop Prevora as a first-in-class new preventive, painless treatment for the most common and expensive chronic disease for adults – poor oral health. The company has completed a full battery of studies of Prevora in preventing dental decay and treating oral inflammation simultaneously; has approvals for Prevora in Canada, the EU, and the UK; and is now partnering with healthcare organizations such as St. Joseph’s Home Care on integrating Prevora into the healthcare system.
About The Research Institute of St. Joe’s Hamilton
The Research Institute of St. Joe’s Hamilton (RSJH) supports high-impact research with fulsome, personalized solutions to clinical trial management. With a unique and collaborative approach, RSJH combines the talents of over 700 world-class researchers and staff with the cutting-edge resources of St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. We support the growth of research and innovation within St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and across St. Joseph’s Health System to improve the care of over one million members of our community each year.
About St. Joseph’s Health System
St. Joseph’s Health System (SJHS) is a Canadian multi-hospital and care network based in Ontario. Its locations include St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener, St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Guelph, St. Joseph’s Lifecare Centre in Brantford, St. Joseph’s Villa in Dundas, and St. Joseph’s Home Care. SJHS encompasses five cities, with over eight thousand staff serving a population of over two million people. SJHS is a sought-after leader in the delivery of integrated care, which is transforming patient care and outcomes.