The Banner HOPE program, which is made possible through generous funding from the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation, creates a means to support patients across hospital units and departments through collaboration with nursing staff and therapists to identify barriers to dental care and facilitate access to proper oral health routines including brushing and flossing. “The simple act of removing the biofilm from teeth with regular toothbrushing can help prevent pneumonia.” He leads the Center for Healthy Aging at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix and is the program director for the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship. Nimit Agarwal, a geriatrics and internal medicine physician leading the Division of Geriatric Medicine at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix and the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. “Our primary goals with this program are to lower hospital-acquired pneumonia and to increase positive patient outcomes,” said Dr. Bacteria from the oral cavity can travel to the lungs and cause older patients to contract hospital-acquired pneumonia, a serious and potentially fatal infection. Inadequate oral hygiene can lead to devastating disease and a significant loss of quality of life, particularly in the elderly, who represent the largest proportion of hospitalized patients. LEARN MORE: Here are the finalists for the 2023 Champions of Change Awards

The expansion will enable all Banner medical centers to implement the oral health protocol, potentially serving up to 300,000 patients each year. After piloting the program for nearly a year at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, an Age-Friendly Healthcare System recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Delta Dental of Arizona and the Banner Health Foundation announced the expansion of the Hospital Oral Care and Periodontal Disease Education (HOPE) program protocol to Banner’s 28 acute-care hospitals across Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming.

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