A case for a dental surgeon at regional radiotherapy centres

This paper looks at the need for a dental surgeon to work at Regional Radiotherapy Centres to provide a dental service to head and neck cancer patients. A retrospective study of 1980 hospital records was conducted to see if patients had received dental assessment prior to radiotherapy. Only 13.2% were identified as having had dental treatment. Two hundred and fifty sequential patients were dentally examined between January and June 1990, prior to radiotherapy. Sixty-eight per cent required and received immediate dental treatment, 20.8% were edentulous and had ill-fitting dentures. These patients were at risk of developing dentally related complications of radiotherapy. Only 11.2% were regular dental attenders and were dentally fit.