Description

Saving lives – a special issue reporting the national conference ‘killing oral cancer’

CPD Dentistry enters its second year, and has been extremely well received by the Profession. Almost half of our number have registered with the General Dental Council for the voluntary period of the forthcoming re-certification scheme, and a significant number of these dentists are using CPD Dentistry as one of their means of recording verifiable CPD.

This Special Issue, however, should be compulsory reading for every member of our profession. Nearly 3,500 people are diagnosed with oral cancer in the UK every year. Statistically, every dental practitioner will see at least two oral cancers during their working life. That seems such a low figure that it might be asked whether it is worth all the effort of reading this issue; acquiring, refining and developing new skills, if only one case may be seen in twenty years? The answer must be a resounding YES. And yes for two reasons.

First, a dentist was recently found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the General Dental Council for failing to diagnose an oral cancer. That judgement will no doubt affect that dentist for the rest of his life. But the second reason is that the patient has no life to be affected. Death from Oral Cancer is preventable.

Every dentists must purchase the CAL programme from NCCPED which is nearing completion. Every dentist must be familiar with full-mouth examination techniques, and able to diagnose suspicious lesions. Every dentist must know the correct sequence of management, and every member of the dental team should know how to discuss potential oral cancer with a patient.

I have seen and diagnosed three cancers during my practice so far. Having read this issue I wonder how many I have missed. I hope it will never, ever, happen again.

Peter Carrotte
Editor