Do you know the specific needs of your LGBT patients?

LGBT Foundation’s Pride in Practice coordinator, Andrew Gilliver, will be speaking at the National Dental Nursing Conference at the Blackpool Hotel Conference Centre and Spa (formerly the Blackpool Hilton) on Saturday 17 November.

Andrew is part of LGBT Foundation’s Pride in Practice team, which offers primary care practices access to training around LGBT inclusion, support around gender identity, trans status and sexual orientation monitoring, and a suite of accessible resources.

Price in Practice is supported by the British Dental Association and funded by Greater Manchester Public Health & Development Service and NHS England.

Andrew’s presentation aims to give Conference attendees an understanding of the barriers faced by LGBT patients when accessing dental care, an awareness of how they can support LGBT patients and information on how the LGBT Foundation can offer ongoing support to the practice.

As an LGBT patient there may be some specific health factors that affect them, including:

  • LGBT people are more likely to smoke = more likely to get oral infections. Other issues prevalent in the LGBT community, such as substance use and eating disorders, can all negatively affect our oral health.
  • LGBT people are affected by higher rates of HIV and hepatitis; this can be linked to substance abuse, unprotected oral sex and (in the case of hepatitis in particular) rimming. HIV can decrease the body's ability to fight infection and side effects of some HIV meds can cause problems in the mouth.
  • Some trans people may self-medicate with hormones bought online, and some HRT medication can produce oral health problems.
  • LGBT people can experience unique stress factors that can contribute to poor mental health which may mean that they are significantly less likely to visit a dental practice regularly (lack of motivation/disinterested in self-care/aversion to social situations.)

The presentation will meet all four of the GDC’s new development outcomes.

The Conference will offer eight hours of verifiable CPD over the two days.

Dental nurses, and other members of the dental team, can attend either or both days. There is a discounted rate for current BADN members, for student dental nurses and for those booking before the end of September.

There will also be an optional informal dinner at local restaurant Twelve (www.twelve-restaurant.co.uk) for delegates and guests.

More information and a reservation form is available at www.badn.org.uk/conference.

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