User:Abbeshap/Oral Health Care for Cancer Patients (OHCCP)

OHCCP (www.ohccp.org) is a web-based educational resource for cancer patients, dentists, and other health care providers involved in the treatment of cancer patients. The mission of OHCCP is to increase access and improve the quality of oral health care for underserved patients in Indiana and throughout the U.S. through Advocacy, Collaboration, and Education. For patients, the website provides dental resources (state dental medicaid information; links to dental schools; and state dental association information); educational materials (fact sheets about how to manage and maintain oral health through cancer treatment; glossaries of dental and cancer terms; featured articles; and frequently asked questions); and web-based resources (links to national cancer associations; and support and online discussion groups). For health care providers, the website provides educational materials including fact sheets to assist patients in understanding the link between oral health and cancer, and academic literature on topics such as oral health complications and considerations related to cancer therapies, including caries risk, mucositis, xerostomia, osteonecrosis of the jaw, and periodontal disease.

Why OHCCP is Needed:
Numerous oral health complications face people living with cancer [PLWC]. Data show that increasing access to oral health care prior to, during, and after cancer treatment leads to a decrease in oral health complications. Oral complications occur in nearly 100% of PLWC receiving radiation for head and neck malignancies and nearly 40% of patients receiving chemotherapy and/or radiation. PLWC face numerous specific oral complications, including mucositis (inflamation of oral tissue or mouth sores), xerostomia (clinical dry mouth), oral bleeding, and increased caries (cavities). While some of these complications occur only during treatment, some can persist for years.

Role of a Dentist on an Oncology Team
Prior to beginning cancer treatment, a dentist is in the unique position to help cancer patients manage their oral and overall health by identifying and treating problems that would be exacerbated during chemotherapy and/or radiation. During cancer therapy, a dentist can work with the patient to prevent and treat oral complications by recommending preventative and palliative treatments. Furthermore, dentists can work with cancer patients post-cancer therapy to manage the effects of a life-long risk for xerostomia (dry mouth), dental caries (cavities) and osteonecrosis (bone death) Therefore it is critically important that all cancer patients work with their dentists before, during and after chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.