Oral cancer has a very poor prognosis with less than half of patients surviving 5 years after their diagnosis. The World Health Organisation estimates it causes 177,000 deaths every year. Tragically training of health workers, particularly in resource poor countries, in early recognition is extremely poor and presentation with very advanced disease is common. Detection at an advanced stage requires more aggressive and radical treatment with far greater complications.
GOALS
- To develop a state of the art video based training program for all cadres of health workers, globally, to improve early recognition of oral cancer
- To ensure the training program can be delivered to health workers irrespective of where they work
- Demonstrate the practical skills of both extraoral and intraoral examination and when to request further investigation
- To develop pragmatic messages to improve public understanding of oral cancer
SOLUTIONS
We will develop a pragmatic, comprehensive video-based training program. This will include:
- What is oral cancer and how to examine patients to detect oral cancer
- Multiple clinical videos showing pre-malignant lesions, oral cancers and what is normal
- Investigation of oral cancer and lesions that are associated with the development of oral cancer
- When to refer, how to manage and long-term monitoring
TARGETS
To provide global training in oral cancer for dental practitioners, postgraduate dental students, dental students, dental hygienists and dental nurses, nurses, medical students, doctors and health workers worldwide.
To determine if the training program improves the ability of health workers to recognize oral cancer and ultimately to determine if early detection is improved.
