title: Why don't dentists talk to patients about oral cancer?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Up to half of oral cancer patients are diagnosed with advanced lesions. One route to early diagnosis could involve dentists raising awareness of oral cancer through discussions with patients, emphasising prompt help-seeking. This study explores opinions and practices of dentists regarding discussing oral cancer with patients including views on barriers and facilitators.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative in-depth interviews.Setting Dentists working in general dental practices in the United Kingdom were interviewed in 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-depth interviews with dentists (n = 16) were conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data was analysed using framework analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dentists recognised the importance of raising awareness but identified several barriers to discussions including system factors (for example, time constraints and a lack of financial incentive), patient factors (for example, fear of invoking undue anxiety) and dentist factors (for example, a lack of sufficient knowledge, training and self-confidence). Facilitators included developing practice standards and good dentist-patient relationships.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identified barriers may hold back efforts to raise awareness of oral cancer and could be targeted in future initiatives to encourage early detection.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Division of Population and Patient Health, King's College London Dental Institute, Caldecot Road, London, SE5 9RW.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Awojobi
authors.affiliation: Unit of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Division of Population and Patient Health, King's College London Dental Institute, Caldecot Road, London, SE5 9RW.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.affiliation: Unit of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Division of Population and Patient Health, King's College London Dental Institute, Caldecot Road, London, SE5 9RW.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D036301:Qualitative Research