Distinguishing the Benign from the Deadly: Oral Pathology Update

Dr. Susan Muller

Fasten your seatbelts! This full day in-person lecture will be heavy on pictures with the goal of illustrating a variety of conditions that can be encountered frequently in the dental office. Growths that can be seen in a wide spectrum of ages from children to the elderly will be reviewed. This lecture will describe HPV infections, the natural history of the infection and which HPV-associated lesions are of most concern. The presentation of oropharyngeal carcinoma will be discussed and contrasted with oral cavity cancer - specifically cancers that arise on the lateral border of the tongue. Risk factors for HPV-related cancers and review of the current HPV vaccines available will be reviewed. The role of oral health care providers in screening for these cancers will be discussed.