Should the routine removal of intra-oral fibro-epithelial polyps be re-classified as an’Intervention Not Normally Funded’?

Abstract

The excision of intra-oral fibro-epithelial polyps (FEPs) represents a significant workload for maxillofacial departments. In times of austerity does the removal of these benign and often symptom-free lesions represent the best use of NHS resources? Primary care dentists should be able to reliably diagnose and monitor these lesions, just as primary care physicians do with skin tags. We aim to assess the diagnostic yield and costs associated with this procedure.