Abstract
Objectives: Up to half of oral cancer patients are diagnosed with advanced lesions. One route to early diagnosis could involve dentists raising awareness of oral cancer through discussions with patients, emphasising prompt help-seeking. This study explores opinions and practices of dentists regarding discussing oral cancer with patients including views on barriers and facilitators.
Design: Qualitative in-depth interviews.
Setting: Dentists working in general dental practices in the United Kingdom were interviewed in 2013.
Subjects and methods: In-depth interviews with dentists (n = 16) were conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data was analysed using framework analysis.
Results: Dentists recognised the importance of raising awareness but identified several barriers to discussions including system factors (for example, time constraints and a lack of financial incentive), patient factors (for example, fear of invoking undue anxiety) and dentist factors (for example, a lack of sufficient knowledge, training and self-confidence). Facilitators included developing practice standards and good dentist-patient relationships.
Conclusion: Identified barriers may hold back efforts to raise awareness of oral cancer and could be targeted in future initiatives to encourage early detection.
Design: Qualitative in-depth interviews.
Setting: Dentists working in general dental practices in the United Kingdom were interviewed in 2013.
Subjects and methods: In-depth interviews with dentists (n = 16) were conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data was analysed using framework analysis.
Results: Dentists recognised the importance of raising awareness but identified several barriers to discussions including system factors (for example, time constraints and a lack of financial incentive), patient factors (for example, fear of invoking undue anxiety) and dentist factors (for example, a lack of sufficient knowledge, training and self-confidence). Facilitators included developing practice standards and good dentist-patient relationships.
Conclusion: Identified barriers may hold back efforts to raise awareness of oral cancer and could be targeted in future initiatives to encourage early detection.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 537 - 541 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | British Dental Journal |
| Volume | 218 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 8 May 2015 |