Dental Needs of Oncology Inpatients at Seattle Children’s Hospital

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2018Background: Over 15,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer annually in the US. Guidelines suggest a dental examination be completed prior to starting cancer-directed therapies, but there is little data on the dental needs of these patients at the time of diagnosis. Purpose: To analyze and describe the characteristics and dental needs of newly diagnosed pediatric oncology patients in an academic, tertiary care center, based on their inpatient baseline evaluations. Study design: This study included all newly diagnosed patients with cancer for whom an inpatient consultation for baseline dental evaluation was requested from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016, with follow-up care not extending past December 31, 2017. Demographics, oncology diagnosis, medical comorbidities, timing of consultation, dental findings, and treatment recommended/rendered were recorded. Results: Amongst 861 inpatient dental consults, 296 (35%) were for newly diagnosed cancer patients. Seventy-nine percent of patients received a baseline exam prior to starting oncology therapy (p=