Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer for the Dentist
About This Event
In 2024, there will be roughly 58,000 new oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers and this number is expected to increase. The American Cancer Society reports 5-year survival rates range from 50-90% depending on the anatomical region affected, type of cancer and staging of the cancer at time of diagnosis. It goes without saying that the earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better the prognosis. According to the CDC, in 2019, 65.5% of adults aged 18-64 had a dental visit in the past 12 months which makes the general dentist the ideal healthcare professional to screen for this potential disease. Although we receive training and instruction as students on what oral cancers look like and what to do, it is not a condition that the general dentist will encounter on a daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly basis. Therefore, we have designed a refresher course to re familiarize the dental team on the prevalence of the condition, clinical signs, and how to aid in diagnosing suspicious lesions.
Learning Objectives
- Participants will become familiar with the epidemiology of oral and oropharyngeal cancer
- Participants will learn the clinical presentation and management options of oral and oropharyngeal cancer
- Participants will learn about dental treatment planning for patients preparing for cancer treatment and go through case-based discussion on how to manage dental considerations for patients post oral cancer treatment
- Participants will understand the role of the dentist in the cancer management team
- Participants will learn current oral biopsy techniques and will have the opportunity to practice during the workshop
- Dental treatment planning for patients preparing for cancer treatment, with a case based discussion on how to manage dental considerations for those patients post oral cancer treatment.