An Interprofessional Approach to HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer Prevention Education
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
11:00 am – 12:00 am Pacific / 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern
There are approximately 31,500 cancers attributed to HPV each year and that number continues to rise. Oropharyngeal cancer has surpassed cervical cancer as the most common HPV-related cancer. Rates of oropharyngeal cancer have increased more than 225% in the last few decades. More than 70% of oropharyngeal cancers are related to HPV infection. The Massachusetts Oral HPV Prevention Taskforce was created to build connections between medical and dental professionals to increase HPV vaccination rates, decrease HPV-related cancer, and educate both providers and patients on oropharyngeal cancers. Most dental professionals are aware of the role of smoking and alcohol consumption as risk factors for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer; however, dedicated, trained dental professionals may be underutilized assets in the realm of HPV education and oropharyngeal cancer prevention. To this end, the Massachusetts Oral HPV Prevention Taskforce aims to educate and empower the dental community with relevant, medically sound cancer prevention information to educate patients to make well-informed oral health and cancer preventive decisions.
Featured Speakers:
- Rebecca Vanucci, MA – Immunization Outreach Coordinator, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
- Alessandro Villa, DDS, PhD, MPH – Instructor in Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Associate Surgeon, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Center
- Rosie Wagner, DDS – Private Practice in Somerville, MA
- Lisa Bennett Johnson, RDH, MS, MPH – Research Registered Dental Hygienist, Oral Medicine and Dentistry Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Originally Aired: February 21, 2018
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