Practices of maryland dentists : oral cancer prevention and early detection : baseline data from 1995

• Published in: Oral diseases Vol. 6; no. 5; pp. 282 - 288
• Main Authors: HOROWITZ, A. M, DRURY, T. F, CANTO, M. T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell 01.09.2000
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Alcohol Drinking; Attitude of Health Personnel; Attitude to Health; Biological and medical sciences; Early Diagnosis; Education, Dental, Continuing; Female; General aspects; Humans; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Male; Maryland; Medical History Taking; Medical sciences; Mouth Neoplasms - prevention & control; Mouth, Edentulous - pathology; Nicotiana; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Pharyngeal Neoplasms - prevention & control; Planification. Prevention (methods). Intervention. Evaluation; Practice Patterns, Dentists' - statistics & numerical data; Professional Practice - classification; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Random Allocation; Sex Factors; Smoking; Tumors; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology; United States; North America; Maryland; America; Human; Questionnaire; Stomatology; Dentist; Tobacco smoking; Alcohol; Malignant tumor; Medical screening; Pharynx; Oral cavity; Mail inquiry; Anamnesis; Professional practice; Risk factor; ENT disease; Oral cavity disease; Pharynx disease; Diagnosis; Public health
• ISSN: 1354-523X; 1601-0825
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-0825.2000.tb00140.x

To investigate practices and opinions of general dentists in Maryland, USA, related to oral and pharyngeal cancer prevention and early detection. A pre-tested, 34-item questionnaire, cover letter and addressed, stamped envelope were mailed in the summer, 1995, to a simple random sample of 800 members and non-members of the American Dental Association practicing in Maryland. A reminder postcard was sent 3 weeks after initial mailing; a second complete mailing to all non-respondents 6 weeks after first mailing. Over 90% of dentists asked about patient's current use of tobacco but only 77% assessed patient's history of tobacco use and types and amounts used. Fewer (66%) asked about present use of alcohol. Ninety percent reported providing an oral cancer examination at the initial appointment for patients 40 years of age or older; only 6% provided the examination for edentulous patients and only 40% reported palpating lymph nodes of patients 80% or more of the time. Dentists' reporting on providing oral cancer examinations and taking appropriate health histories are disappointing. These results call for comprehensive educational interventions in terms of changes in dental curricula and as continuing education courses especially since most dentists were interested in continuing education courses on oral cancer prevention and early detection.