November marks the annual Mouth Cancer Action Month, the most extensive campaign for mouth cancer awareness. The latest NHS update from Ali Sparke, director for dentistry, community pharmacy and optometry, and Jason Wong, deputy chief dental officer of England, focused on spreading this vital message.

The update opens with the writers encouraging professionals to “share with patients and your teams that a self-check for mouth cancer takes 45 seconds and can save your life.” In conjunction with Blue Wednesday on November 16, Ali and Jason want to encourage more individuals to check themselves to aid in early life-saving diagnosis.

Mouth Cancer Action Month

The latest reports from the Oral Health Foundation have shown that in the last generation, the number of people diagnosed with mouth cancer has more than doubled. However, the public is still uninformed about the signs and symptoms of mouth cancer. Data suggests that awareness amongst the adult population sits “as low as 17 per cent”.

To improve success rates and quality of life, the authors suggest that prevention should be the focus for dental professionals. They suggest, “discussing mouth cancer risk factors with patients in your care will contribute to reducing future disease, with professional screening by dental professionals playing an integral role. If, however, you are suspicious of any lesions or oral changes, early diagnosis is crucial towards influencing survival rates: identifying oral cancer at earlier stages can increase the likelihood of survival from 50 per cent to 90 per cent. Patients with suspected mouth cancer should be managed urgently and prioritised for dental appointments as per section 1.8 Head and neck cancers in Suspected cancer: recognition and referral (NICE guidance NG12).”

Deputy chief dental officer England walks to raise funds and awareness of mouth cancer

On September 24, 2022, Jason Wong walked 10km to support the Mouth Cancer Foundation.

The event “raises charitable funds and aims to increase awareness of mouth cancer by bringing together patients, carers, volunteers, and clinicians to celebrate survivorship, and highlight both the early warning signs of the disease, as well as the importance of self-checks.”

Changes requiring regulatory amendments

New amendments to the Band 2 UDA allocation for the filling and /or extraction of three or more teeth and/ or provision of non-molar and molar endodontic care will come into effect from November 25, 2022.

The changes will also include “regulatory changes necessary to require updating of the Directory of Services. If you require a manual update to the Directory of Services (DoS) that informs NHS 111, including your capacity status, you should contact your local dental commissioning team or your DoS Lead so the change can be agreed prior to the system being updated. If you do not know your DoS lead, you can contact the DoS Provider and Commissioner Helpline on 0300 0200 363. In addition, NHS Digital has also provided guidance to help you ensure that your NHS website profiles are kept up to date.”

Also included in the update:

User views can help improve the Electronic Prescription Service: As part of its research, NHS Digital is encouraging professionals to provide feedback about the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) to improve the prescribing and delivery of medication. Provide feedback here.

Referral procedures: The update reminds NHS staff to refresh local care pathways and referral procedures.

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