The future of oral pathology practice

Oral and maxillofacial pathology (OMP) may be viewed as a specialty of dentistry, which addresses the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the oral and perioral regions. Consensus definitions may be found in the accreditation standards for OMP as published by the American Dental Association, and in the Constitution and Bylaws of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology (AAOMP). These sources describe roles for OMP in laboratory diagnosis (histopathology), and clinical practice. Eversole recognizes these divisions of OMP in his discussion of evidence-based practice, noting that oral medicine shares with OMP responsibilities in the care of patients with oral disease. Broadly viewed, all clinical disciplines and specialties of dentistry provide services in disease diagnosis and treatment. However, Eversole makes a distinction between the diagnostic and treatment services provided throughout dentistry, and those offered by OMP, excluding from OMP those primarily focused on dental caries, diseases of the periodontium, missing teeth and tooth structure, and dental misalignment. The focus of this essay addresses the future of OMP practice.