Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon – A Hidden Weapon in Head and Neck Oncology

Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma dominates all the oral cancer cases with potentially malignant disorders which are also recognised as detectable pre-clinical phase of oral cancer. Patients with head and neck cancer should get a thorough dental oncologic examination as part of their pre-treatment evaluation. Dental professionals that specialise in oral and maxillofacial (OMF) surgery are the best people to manage patients with tumours in this area. This study discusses the significance of having these oncology-trained surgeons on the head and neck surgical teams, their underappreciated contributions to raising awareness of oral cancer and its negative effects among the general public as well as teaching oral cancer patients proper oral hygiene techniques. It also discusses the difficulties they face today to practise oncosurgery and be respected by their medical colleagues and provides an answer to the question of whether OMF surgeons have any role in such surgical setups.