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Oral pathologists diagnose serious diseases of the dental and facial cavities. They specialize in diagnosing chronic conditions and determining whether tissue samples are potentially cancerous or infectious. Training includes a three-year hospital internship in oral and maxillofacial pathology. The number of practicing oral pathologists in the US is low, with some states having no registered licensed professionals.
An oral pathologist, also called an oral maxillofacial pathologist, is a dentist who specializes in diagnosing serious diseases of the dental and facial cavities. Whenever a general dentist encounters evidence of a chronic condition during a routine exam, she may remove some of the affected tissue and send it to the pathologist for further study. It is up to this expert to determine whether the tissue sample is potentially cancerous or infectious.
Although training initially follows the same syllabus leading to a DDS diploma, an oral pathologist continues his or her training with a three-year hospital internship in oral and maxillofacial pathology. This training does not lead to an MD degree, however, so it is not unusual for medical professionals to consult an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist instead of a qualified pathologist. While many dentists are not reluctant to consult an oral pathologist, some doctors are unfamiliar with the level of expertise of this profession.
In addition to the risk of cancer, patients can face other disabling oral conditions such as canker sores, opportunistic infections and ulcerations of the tongue and gums. If these conditions can’t be controlled by standard treatment methods, a general dentist may call in an oral pathologist for more advanced procedures. This practitioner may choose to specialize in this type of hands-on practice or spend more time on diagnostics and research.
The number of practicing oral pathologists in the United States is surprisingly low. The National Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathologists currently lists only 236 active fellows. That means a ratio of more than a million citizens for every active pathologist. There are some states without a single registered licensed professional. Much of the lab work done by these people, such as biopsy diagnosis, can be performed by other lab personnel, but specialized treatment can be difficult to duplicate.
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