A practicum for oral cancer teaching

This article describes a hospital-based method for teaching oral cancer to general practice residents, which involves the use of patients for whom the residents are responsible. The residents present prepared cases of patients of the hospital dental department according to a predetermined protocol. These conferences begin with a talk on a subject germane to the cases being presented and include complete documentation of clinical history and laboratory findings, photographs, projection of microscope slides of the lesion, and a thorough discussion of therapy and rehabilitation. The residents have had significant contact with the cancer patients from the time of initial patient complaint to completion of therapy. The practicum is based on thorough case review and builds on didactic information provided in the undergraduate dental school curriculum.