Aims: Oral health issues in cancer patients often go unnoticed. This is despite studies showing dental intervention can mitigate cancer-related oral health issues and improve quality of life. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to dentists’ management of cancer patients’ oral health.
Methods: This mixed-method study comprised an online survey and semi-structured telephone interviews. Dentists were eligible to participate if they were working clinically in Australia. The study included questions related to knowledge, confidence, cancer experience, perceived role and barriers/ facilitators to providing oral health care. Quantitative data was analysed descriptively. Stepwise regression identified predictors of knowledge and confidence. Qualitative data was analysed thematically using a Framework approach.
Results: Eighty-eight dentists completed the survey and 28 participated in interviews. 56% of participants were female, with a mean of 20 years clinical experience. 87% were general dentists, working in private practice (67%), primarily in metropolitan areas (72%). Majority of participants were confident (93%) managing cancer patients and had moderate to high cancer knowledge (86%), although only 21% reported seeing more than 10 cancer patients per year. Recent cancer continuing education (p=0.015) predicted level of cancer knowledge, and number of cancer patients seen (p<0.001) predicted confidence. Thematic analysis identified four themes that influenced dentists’ provision of oral care for cancer patients: (i)perceived scope of practice, (ii) clinical interest in cancer care, (iii) structure of healthcare and (iv) patient- factors influencing access to dental care.
Conclusion: Despite dentists having the knowledge and confidence, provision of oral care to cancer patients is dependent on dentists’ willingness to provide care which is influenced by their clinical interests and practice model, better integration of community and hospital-based care pathway as well as understanding the psychosocial needs of cancer patients.