Assessment of oral disease burden among head and neck cancer patients in the Merseyside region.

Introduction Head and neck cancer (HANC) significantly impacts the oral cavity and dental health issues may complicate cancer treatment and post-treatment quality of life. Pre-treatment dental evaluation is critical for identifying and managing existing oral health problems. However, limited literature exists on the dental health status of patients at the time of HANC diagnosis.

Managing the Medically Complex Patient: Risk Assessment and Information Gathering.

Primary care dentists are providing dental care for an increasingly medically complex cohort of patients. The ability to understand medical histories, how and when to get further information, and then to be able to risk assess the information is paramount to providing safe and effective dental care. The success of modern medicine combined with a population who are retaining their teeth and choosing to have ever more complex dentistry, means that primary care dentists are facing challenges not seen previously.