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October 29, 2002
UCSF Researchers Team with ADA to Fight Oral Cancer
In a nationwide project to fight oral cancer through prevention and
early
detection, the National Cancer Institute has awarded $1.2 million to
researchers at the University of California, San Francisco School of
Dentistry
to create a program of oral cancer prevention in collaboration with
the
American Dental Association (ADA).
Oral cancer strikes more than 30,000 Americans and accounts for more than
9,000 deaths each year in the U.S. Despite advances in oral cancer treatment,
only about one-half of all persons diagnosed with the disease survive more than
five years.
"Early detection is the most important approach in decreasing the
morbidity
and mortality of oral cancer," said Sol Silverman, Jr., DDS, UCSF professor
of
oral medicine and principal investigator of the five-year project. Silverman
is a consultant to the ADA Council on Access, Prevention and
Interprofessional
Relations and a pioneer and expert in oral cancer education, patient care
and
research.
The UCSF researchers will develop and implement a continuing education
program
focusing on oral cancer prevention education for practicing dentists in
the
U.S. Key components will include risk assessment and risk reduction
for
tobacco and alcohol use, chemoprevention, early detection and
diagnosis.
Data indicate that the majority of at-risk Americans do not benefit from
oralcancer screening from their primary care professionals, and survival rates
have not significantly changed in the past 20 years, according to Silverman. The plan is to increase dentists' skills in early detection of oral cancer
because,thus far, this is the most important approach in decreasing morbidity
and
mortality of oral cancer.
Barbara Gerbert, PhD, UCSF professor and chair of the division of
behavioral
sciences, is principal investigator of the UCSF portion of the project,
working
with Silverman and the ADA to evaluate the educational program by
surveying
dentists before, immediately after and six months after participating in
the
program. Gerbert has conducted extensive research in the field of
evaluating
health care providers' knowledge, attitudes and behaviors, with
particular
emphasis on ways to support the provider's risk assessment and
intervention
activities.
A recent study in the American Journal of Public Health (June, 2002)
confirmed
that many dentists frequently neglect to ask patients about their tobacco
use;
however, more than 95 percent of surveyed dentists said they were willing
to
receive training in tobacco cessation services. Improving the
dentists'
screening and smoking cessation skills could greatly increase smoking
cessation, according to the researchers. "More than half of all tobacco
users
visit the dentist at least once a year, and patients in the 20 to
44-year-old
age group are more likely to visit a dentist than a physician," Gerbert
said.
"Many patients want help quitting tobacco use," Gerbert explained.
"Dentists
have an excellent opportunity to screen and counsel patients as well as
provide
a number of effective resources. This project will prepare dentists to
become
a more significant part of our overall efforts to fight tobacco and its
health
effects," she said.
During the first year of the project, investigators will formulate the
course
and materials, train educators to present the course and develop the
outcome
assessment tools. In the fall of 2003, the courses will be presented
to
dentists nationwide.
This project will also explore the potential use of the standardized
continuing education program for other health care professionals, for
instance,
dental hygienists, nurse practitioners and primary care
physicians.
Key collaborators on the grant include Dale Danley, MPH, UCSF analyst;
Stuart
Gansky, DrPH, UCSF assistant professor of preventive and restorative
dental
sciences; Jane McGinley, RDH, MBA, manager of preventive health activities
for
the ADA; and K. Vendrell Rankin, DDS, associate professor of public
health
sciences, Baylor College of Dentistry.
Source: UCSF News Twink
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