Perspectives of African Americans and dentists concerning dentist–patient communication on oral cancer screening

Abstract

Objective Mortality rates for oral cancer have not improved appreciably in decades, with Blacks less likely than others to survive 5-years post-treatment. Oral cancer is the fifth most common cancer among African American males, representing a pressing public health concern. This study compared how dentists and African American adults view the current state of dentist–patient communication regarding oral cancer and its detection. Methods Five focus groups with 56 African American adults and two focus groups with 17 dentists were conducted in order to compare responses regarding oral cancer information needs and dentist–patient communication on oral cancer screening. Results African American adults showed little knowledge about oral cancer and cancer screening, and great need for information. However, dentists reported rarely engaging in information exchange with their patients even while performing the examination. Conclusion African Americans’ request for screening information and dentists’ reticence about performing the screening and initiating communication with patients indicate a need for both public education on oral cancer and improved continuing education courses for dentists. Practice implications The dental care community should develop clear guidelines for communicating with patients about oral cancer and engage in continuing education on oral cancer screening procedure. Increased public health efforts aimed at increasing oral cancer awareness and knowledge among the public are warranted.