Safeguarding and Vulnerability Links

Safeguarding and Vulnerability Links supports P 3.9. For dental nurses this means recognising safeguarding and vulnerability issues, acting within scope, and ensuring safe handover or escalation where needed.

Oral health intersects with nutrition, diabetes, dementia, medicines, safeguarding, care-home support, smoking, alcohol, mental health and disability. Dental services must work with other health and social care teams to meet those linked needs.

What to notice in practice

• Safeguarding: identify needs and hand over or escalate clearly through local routes.
• Neglect: identify needs and hand over or escalate clearly through local routes.
• Capacity: identify needs and hand over or escalate clearly through local routes.
• Domestic abuse: identify needs and hand over or escalate clearly through local routes.
• Learning disability: ensure agreed adjustments are implemented and reviewed.

Dental nurses support collaboration by using clear handover, sharing information with consent, liaising with carers, preparing patients for appointments and ensuring reliable follow-up.

Good practice is practical and observable: prepare, listen, check understanding, hand over clearly, and report recurring problems so they can be addressed through governance or quality processes.

Research and system context

Collaboration turns oral health from an isolated dental issue into part of joined-up care for patients and communities.