Should the HPV positive oropharyngeal cancer patient be considered for a two-stage dental assessment for their radiation treatment?

Abstract

Patients due to commence head and neck radiation treatment are expected to undergo a dental assessment and be deemed dentally fit . Though this intervention is welcomed by the dental fraternity it is not without its challenges especially in human papilloma virus (HPV) related oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) which has seen a phenomenal rise over the past decade. This perspective piece presents these challenges and proposes a potential adaption of the dental assessment for HPV OPC patients though not necessarily exclusive to this tumour sub-site.