Objectives: 

• Identify the risk factors associated with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer.
• Recognize the obstacles clinicians face in providing HPV education in the dental practice.
• Discover the tools necessary for patient education and discussing HPV with our adult and adolescent patients.

There are many topics we discuss in our dental practice that do not come easily for individuals on our dental team. From bulimia to addiction, we encounter tough topics that we struggle to have effective communication with our patients, and sometimes choose to avoid these topics altogether. 

For example, discussing the cause and effect relationship between sexual behaviors and oral cancer is not easy for anyone. However, since nearly every person who is sexually active will have an HPV infection in their lifetime, and since HPV is now the leading cause of oropharyngeal cancer, it has become a topic worth investigating and sharing with our patients.

In this course we will touch on the impact HPV has had on oropharyngeal cancer risk, and shed light on how we can improve oral cancer detection in our practice. Will explore how to lead our team in building protocol for patient education that can be customized to fit the culture in our individual practice. We will discover methods to encourage involvement of the entire dental team by providing the tools necessary for effective HPV communication.

***NOTE: Title can be changed to the following if necessary.
HPV and Oral Cancer - Saving Lives Through Early Detection and Improved Communication