Knowledge about oral leukoplakia for use at different levels of expertise, including patients

• Published in: Oral diseases Vol. 24; no. 1-2; pp. 174 - 178
• Main Author: Waal, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.03.2018
• Subjects: Clinical Competence; Dentistry; Dentists; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Interdisciplinary Communication; Leukokeratosis; Leukoplakia, Oral - classification; Leukoplakia, Oral - pathology; Leukoplakia, Oral - therapy; Medical personnel; Oral cancer; Oral diseases; oral leukoplakia; oral mucosa; Patient Education as Topic; Physicians; potentially malignant oral disorders; Protease inhibitors; Risk factors; Terminology as Topic; oral leukoplakia; oral mucosa; potentially malignant oral disorders
• ISSN: 1354-523X; 1601-0825
• DOI: 10.1111/odi.12695

Objective The purpose of this contribution is to discuss how the subject of oral leukoplakia might be communicated among the various healthcare workers and also among patients. Material and Methods The discussion is based on the available literature and on many decades of clinical and histopathological experience of the author. Results The literature does not contain guidelines on what level of expertise can be expected from the various dental and medical healthcare workers in the field of oral leukoplakia, nor on how to communicate this disorder with patients. Based on personal experience, a number of suggestions have been proposed to overcome this shortcoming. Conclusion Knowledge about oral leukoplakia varies among the various healthcare workers, depending on their level of expertise. Communication on this subject with patients should be in easy to understand wording, avoiding professional terminology as much as possible.