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Attitudes to biopsy procedures in general dental practice
N Diamanti1, A J Duxbury, S Ariyaratnam
1Unit of Oral Medicine, The University Dental Hospital of Manchester.
British Dental Journal
|June 22, 2002
Summary
General dental practitioners (GDPs) need more training and support for performing oral biopsies. While specialists have concerns, patients are primarily worried about biopsy results, not the procedure location.
Area of Science:
- Oral surgery
- Dental diagnostics
Background:
- Biopsy procedures are integral to diagnosing oral lesions.
- General dental practitioners (GDPs) play a key role in primary oral healthcare.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate current biopsy practices in general dental practice.
- To assess the perspectives of specialists, GDPs, and patients on oral biopsies.
Main Methods:
- Surveys distributed to oral surgeons, surgical dentists, GDPs, and patients.
- Response rates achieved were 74%, 72%, and 76% respectively.
Main Results:
- 70% of specialists advised against GDPs performing biopsies due to skill and referral concerns.
- 15% of GDPs reported performing biopsies; 60% felt competent for benign lesions but cited skill and error risks.
- 65% of patients worried about biopsy results; 39% felt anxious if a GDP performed the biopsy.
Conclusions:
- Further training and accessible pathology support are needed for GDPs performing biopsies.
- Patient anxiety about adverse reports is a key concern, but not a barrier to general practice biopsies for benign lesions.
- Fee structures for biopsies may require review.
