Section I. Lecture (led by Dr. Hagen Klieb)

Oral pathology, while important, is not encountered routinely, and thus, it is understandable why many clinicians feel uneasy when encountering oral lesions. This sets the stage for misdiagnosis and mismanagement with the potential to negatively affect patient morbidity and mortality let alone the medico-legal ramifications. 

Objectives:

Part A. Oral precancerous and cancerous lesions

1. To review trends of oral cancer including emerging risk factors.
2. To recognize clinical features that should raise concern for oral precancer and cancer.
3. To review proper documentation and an approach for a differential diagnosis and management.
4. To discuss how and when to refer.

Part B. Human papilloma virus (HPV): An emerging disease with relevance to dentistry

1. To review the emerging epidemic of HPV-induced oropharyngeal cancers.
2. To discuss the dentist’s role in cancer detection and patient education.

Section II. Hands-on (led by Dr. Peter Ta)

The oral soft-tissue biopsy will be reviewed and demonstrated.