Oral Cancer: Early Detection Saves Lives
Speaker
Roopali Kulkarni, DMD, MPH, is an Instructor in the Department of Oral Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. She obtained both her D.M.D. and Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. She went on to complete her Residency in Oral Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, serving as Chief Resident during her second year. Upon completion of her residency program, Dr. Kulkarni received the Robert Schattner Outstanding Oral Medicine Resident Award. Dr. Kulkarni currently teaches clinically in the Oral Medicine and Personalized Care Suite Clinics in the School of Dental Medicine and didactically on a wide range of subjects relating to oral medicine and interdisciplinary care. Her scholarly work focuses on both oral medicine and topics within public health. In addition to her faculty responsibilities, Dr. Kulkarni also serves as an attending at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, as assistant director of the oral medicine residency program, and treats patients at Penn Medicine Radnor. She maintains active involvement in organized dentistry as a national media spokesperson for the American Dental Association, Vice-Chair of the Pennsylvania Dental Association New Dentist Committee, Philadelphia County Dental Society Board of Governors member, and as Chair of the American Student Dental Association national Diversity & Inclusion Task Force, and American Dental Education Association Council of Faculties member.
Disclosure: Dr. Kulkarni has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Course Description
Early detection of oral cancer is key to increasing patient survival and bettering health outcomes. Oral healthcare professionals play an essential role in early detection. Dental visits provide opportunities to offer oral cancer screenings to all patients. When performed appropriately, cancer screenings can be lifesaving.
Educational Objectives
In this session, participants will learn what oral cancer is, review the epidemiology, pathogenesis, signs & symptoms of the condition, learn how to conduct a thorough history and physical examination, assess risk factors and screening tools, understand diagnosis, staging, and management of the disease, and discuss complications of treatment, clinical considerations, and protocol for follow up.
Contact
For information, please contact Penn Dental Medicine Continuing Dental Education at:
PDMContinuingEd@dental.upenn.edu