A strengthened clinical collaboration between the Fred Hutch Cancer Center (FHCC) and the UW School of Dentistry is expanding access to dental care for pre-radiation cancer patients.
Many survivors of head and neck radiation therapy are at risk of long-term or permanent dental complications, like a loss of teeth or jaw function. To help ensure patients’ oral health is in as good of shape as possible before undergoing radiation treatment, Fred Hutch’s Radiation Oncology and Oral Medicine clinicians are sending patients to the UW School of Dentistry’s General Practice Residency (GPR) for reliable, affordable treatment.
This partnership is especially meaningful for patients who have not had prior established dental care or who have poor dental insurance coverage. The FHCC Oral Medicine team helps evaluate and coordinate care for these patients quickly while working to identify affordable options for required dental treatment before starting radiation. Once patients are triaged, the GPR utilizes its expertise and the UW School of Dentistry’s network of specialists to treat patients so they’re prepared for radiation.
“The UWSOD GPR plays a critical role in treating pre-radiation patients,” said Dr. David Dean, Fred Hutch’s Director of Oral Medicine. “They are highly skilled and knowledgeable regarding the unique needs of head and neck cancer patients. They work extremely hard to rapidly coordinate each referral, as patients often have a short time window to complete necessary dental care prior to radiation therapy, which is a crucial component in their cancer treatment.”
The UWSOD GPR consistently collaborates with the UW Departments of Oral Medicine, Maxillofacial Prosthodontics and Oral Surgery for radiation oncology patients. “It is a challenge to provide care on short notice,” said Dr. Ryan O’Connor, the GPR Program Director. “We are equipped to treat these patients because of the experience and training the faculty members have, and our administrative team should be commended as well for the great work they do.”
The partnership between the FHCC and GPR is a continuation of the GPR’s initiatives to support the residents of Washington State and beyond, says Dr. O’Connor. “We are a safety-net clinic that provides dental services for certain populations that no one else can or is willing to treat. Our residents gain more experience treating patients, and we hope they are able to provide that type of care throughout their careers.”
To further the oral health treatment of the at-risk group, a team of researchers, including Dr. Peter Milgrom and Dr. Lloyd Mancl from the UW School of Dentistry, have found that professionally applied silver diamine fluoride (SDF) reduced radiation-induced caries in patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy, supporting its use as a practical chairside preventive intervention.
“Because SDF is fast, professionally applied, and does not rely on patient compliance, it may be a valuable addition to oral care protocols before and after radiotherapy,” says the research paper, published in The Journal of the American Dental Association.
To learn more about the UW School of Dentistry’s General Practice Residency, please visit their website.
And to learn more about the work of Fred Hutch’s Radiation Oncology department, visit their website.