The British Dental Association (BDA) has published a practical guide to help dental professionals combat the growing problem of oral cancer, the organization announced. The guide reiterates the importance of the early detection of the condition, stressing the improved chances of patient survival in cases in which early diagnosis takes place. It also warns that some patients are beginning to take legal action against dentists alleging failure to detect the condition.
The BDA guide, "Early detection and prevention of oral cancer: A management strategy for dental practice," offers advice on preventing, detecting, and managing oral cancer. It addresses both the clinical aspects of the condition and the management of relationships with patients. It explains the risk factors for the disease, provides guidance on talking to patients about examinations, and offers tips on medical history taking and record keeping. It also explores taboos around the practitioner's right to explore patients' lifestyle choices that can cause oral cancer, such as drinking, smoking, and chewing tobacco, and offers advice on how to overcome them.
"The magnitude of the problem of oral cancer in the U.K. is growing," said Damien Walmsley, BDS, MSc, PhD, the BDA's scientific adviser and a professor of restorative dentistry at the University of Birmingham School of Dentistry, in a press release. "General dental practitioners and their teams are ideally placed to lead the fight back, but they face many practical difficulties including patient resistance to practitioners' advice on lifestyle factors. This publication provides in-depth guidance on overcoming those problems and involving the whole dental team in the effective prevention, detection, and treatment of the disease."
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