Table 1.

The CSHA dependency framework (adapted from “Oral health: caring for older adults”. FDI, 2019).

Level of Dependency	Definition
No dependency, CSHA levels 1 and 2	Robust people who exercise regularly and are the fittest group for their age.
Pre-dependency, CSHA level 3	People with chronic systemic conditions that could impact oral health but, at the point of presentation, are not currently impacting oral health. A comorbidity whose symptoms are well controlled.
Low dependency, CSHA level 4	People with identified chronic conditions that are affecting oral health but who currently receive or do not require help to access dental services or maintain oral health. These patients are not entirely dependent, but their disease symptoms are affecting them.
Medium dependency, CSHA level 5	People with an identified chronic systemic condition that currently impacts their oral health and who receive or do not require help to access dental services or maintain oral health. This category includes patients who demand to be seen at home or who do not have transport to a dental clinic.
High dependency, CSHA levels 6 and 7	People who have complex medical problems preventing them from moving to receive dental care at a dental clinic. They differ from patients categorised as medium dependency because they cannot be moved and must be seen at home