A partnership evaluation: public mental health and dental services.

Objective: This study evaluates the partnership between a mental health service and a public dental hospital in providing timely and efficient access to dentistry to patients with a mental illness. In addition, the factors that contributed to the sustainability of the partnership were examined.

Method: The partnership was appraised using a survey-based evaluation with 20 patients, 43 community mental health staff and 14 dental staff, and focus groups with mental health and dental staff.