Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Since 1974 Roswell Park has been recognized by the NCI as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. As such, the Institute provides care for patients for a comprehensive list of cancer types, offering comprehensive treatments for its patients. The Department of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Prosthetics is concerned with assuring that patients possess oral health sufficient to undergo cancer treatments, and maintain good oral health during and after cancer treatment has been completed. The need for this service has become evident as the ramifications of poor dental health can alter when patients can undergo treatment, and can affect quality of life during and after cancer treatment has been completed.

This facility has the expertise to offer the full range of services normally associated within the purview of General Dentistry, with additional knowledge regarding issues often experienced by patients who are receiving or have received cancer treatments.

The dentists in our department are considered vital and essential health care providers at the Institute. They are full voting members of the medical/dental staff and function as highly regarded practitioners.

Residents participating in this program have the opportunity, while under the supervision of the attending staff, of providing emergency and multidisciplinary comprehensive oral health care to patients, including those with complex medical conditions that affect treatment planning, treatment, and treatment outcomes. While the majority of patients are seen in the out-patient clinic, the variety of complicating factors that affect treatment planning, provision and outcomes is large and includes effects of chemotherapy such as lowered immune system function, xerostomia, mucositis, and risk for or presence of osteonecrosis related to medications; effects of head and neck radiation such as trismus, xerostomia, and risk for or presence of osteonecrosis related to radiation; ablative surgeries and related functional defects; and others. In addition, residents provide dental treatment as part of larger comprehensive care teams for patients in the OR, and in-patient care while on floor visits.

The GPR Program Goals and Objectives are to prepare the graduate to:

1.  To achieve competence in all traditional areas of General Dentistry, with self-awareness of level of competence.

2.  To develop competency in using appropriate medical and dental language whether verbally or in writing, in patient documentation, in consulting with dental faculty, in communication with medical providers for the management of medically complex patients, and with patients.

3.  To achieve competence in providing dental care in a hospital setting, and be prepared to consider a career as a hospital dentist, competent to treat people presenting with medically complex histories, and enhance community service opportunities to address access to care.

4.  To increase knowledge in areas of Clinical Dentistry, Hospital Dentistry, and Oncology.

For additional information please contact our Department Secretary, Tracy DeSalvo, at 716-845-5972.