Decuseara Gabriela, MacCarthy Denise, Menezes Gerard
Discipline of Radiation Therapy, School of Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin.
J Ir Dent Assoc. 2011 Aug-Sep;57(4):209-14.
Early detection of oral cancer improves prognosis, but the malignancy is often detected at advanced stages, when more aggressive therapies, often with poor and devastating outcomes for the patient, are needed. Oral cancer can be detected by opportunistic screening of oral mucosa without need of sophisticated equipment. Dentists are important in primary and secondary prevention of oral cancer; therefore, assessing their knowledge, opinions and practices is crucial.
A questionnaire survey of dentists was conducted regarding knowledge of risk factors and diagnostic concepts of oral cancer, practices of primary and secondary prevention, and opinions of the effectiveness of formal undergraduate training for early detection and prevention of this disease. The survey explored dentists' potential training needs.
Dentists appear to be generally knowledgeable regarding diagnostic concepts and risk factors. A total of 89% reported providing screening of intra- and extra-oral soft tissue to adult patients (18+) to exclude oral cancer. A total of 27% always provide tobacco use cessation counselling, and 12% provide alcohol moderation/cessation assistance. A total of 54% felt adequately trained to palpate the lymphatic nodes associated with oral cancer. Over half of dentists reported that their knowledge of and training on oral cancer was current; however, 74% reported lack of patient education materials regarding prevention and early detection of oral cancer.
The survey findings suggest that dentists are underutilised in the prevention and early detection of oral cancer, and one of the barriers is lack of training. Dentists' knowledge and skills must be reinforced and systematically updated by continuing professional education. Greater emphasis should be placed on the fact that dentists have a larger role to play in the prevention and detection of this malignancy at its early, curable stages.
口腔癌的早期检测可改善预后，但这种恶性肿瘤往往在晚期才被发现，此时需要更积极的治疗，而这些治疗对患者来说往往效果不佳且具有破坏性。通过对口腔黏膜进行机会性筛查即可检测口腔癌，无需复杂设备。牙医在口腔癌的一级和二级预防中起着重要作用；因此，评估他们的知识、观点和做法至关重要。
针对牙医开展了一项问卷调查，内容涉及口腔癌的风险因素知识和诊断概念、一级和二级预防措施，以及关于本科正规培训对该疾病早期检测和预防有效性的看法。该调查探索了牙医潜在的培训需求。
牙医似乎对诊断概念和风险因素普遍了解。共有89%的牙医报告为成年患者（18岁及以上）进行口腔内外软组织筛查以排除口腔癌。共有27%的牙医总是提供戒烟咨询，12%的牙医提供节制/戒酒帮助。共有54%的牙医认为自己有足够的培训来触诊与口腔癌相关的淋巴结。超过半数的牙医报告称他们目前掌握口腔癌的知识并接受过相关培训；然而，74%的牙医报告称缺乏有关口腔癌预防和早期检测的患者教育材料。
调查结果表明，牙医在口腔癌的预防和早期检测方面未得到充分利用，其中一个障碍是缺乏培训。必须通过继续职业教育来强化和系统更新牙医的知识与技能。应更加重视牙医在该恶性肿瘤早期可治愈阶段的预防和检测中能发挥更大作用这一事实。
