Oral cancer rates give rise to dentist-patient conversations about HPV - Traverse City Record Eagle

TRAVERSE CITY — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is asking dentists to do something typically left to family physicians — talk about the HPV vaccine.

The reason is that oropharyngeal cancers caused by human papillomavirus are on the rise.

The Center for Disease Control reports in 2016 there were 45,543 new cases of oral cavity and pharynx cancers in the United States. According to the CDC, about 25 percent of reported cases are fatal.

“Dentists are the first line of defense. They see more kids than doctors do and can catch mouth sores early on,” said Terry Adams, Section Manager of MDHHS’s Immunization Division.

Last year the department surveyed 500 dentists and found many of the responses showed a lack of knowledge about HPV, the cause of those cancers.

The results show 15 percent of the answers submitted were incorrect. The results also showed 38 percent of dentists who responded said they are not comfortable talking about HPV.

Susan Deming, Early Childhood Oral Health Specialist at MDHHS, said in some cases that discomfort is because HPV is associated with sexually transmitted diseases.

Deming said many of the dentists who responded felt it was the pediatrician’s responsibility to talk about vaccination.

Surveyors found dentists who had been practicing longer were less comfortable with the subject, but recent grads were learning more about the recent rise in oropharyngeal cancers.

“The oral cancer screening was drilled heavily into our heads, so many people see a dentist twice a year and see a doctor once a year. The thought was we would be able to catch something,” said Andrew Olsen, DDS, Grand Traverse Oral Surgery.

Olsen graduated less than 10 years ago from dental school and said more information is coming out about HPV and oral cancer.

He believes with information campaigns and American Dental Association advocating for regular oral cancer screenings, the education gap will close.

With more education, dentists are taught to prevent cancer with screenings and behaviors, not vaccinations.

“Because we don’t administer it, I feel a little funny talking about it,” said Olsen.

MDHHS next steps are outreach and education through speaking events. The agency also says it will be working on materials to distribute to dental practices that list about reasons why patients should consider vaccination.

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