Oral cancer – CPD and the GDC

Oral cancer is a horrible, disfiguring and potentially life-shortening disease. The impact of a late or misdiagnosis of oral cancer is evidently serious for patients, serious for the individual healthcare worker, serious for the maintaining of standards, and serious for the upholding of public confidence in the profession. This paper looks at the General Dental Council's expectations and the role of national guidelines with regard to the responsibility of the individual dental professional in identifying potentially serious oral mucosal abnormalities and timely onward referral of patients. The paper also considers the role of continuing professional development, required by the General Dental Council, in the performance of the dental profession in the correct handling of patients with suspected oral cancer. The numbers of cases before the General Dental Council over the past few years involving complaints of late or misdiagnosis of oral/mouth cancer are explored and reasons for the reduction suggested.