Penn Dental Medicine Expanding Care for Cancer Patients
Philadelphia – Penn Dental Medicine has launched a new outreach effort to serve cancer patients undergoing treatment who may not have a dental care home. The program involves patients receiving head and neck radiotherapy, bone marrow transplants, and hemopoietic stem cell transplants, who will primarily be referred from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP).
“Cancer therapy can impact the oral cavity and oral health in several ways,” says Dr. Thomas Sollecito, Professor and Chair of the Department of Oral Medicine. “Maintaining optimal oral health is particularly important to patients’ overall health as they undergo treatment and beyond.”
The care will support patients from the initiation of their cancer therapy and facilitate clearance before patients undergo their cancer therapies. Residents from the School’s Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program will provide care within Penn Dental Medicine at 240 S. 40th Street.
Dr. Marc Henschel, Director of the AEGD program. Residents in the program will be providing care to the cancer patients.
“We would also hope to see these patients both during and after their cancer therapies,” says Dr. Marc Henschel, Director of the AEGD program. “So we can become their ongoing dental care providers.”
Patients can reach out directly to set up an appointment, however to best coordinate care, it is advised that the patients’ oncology team arrange the appointment with their treatment requests, treatment modalities, and timeframe.
Patients or providers can make an appointment directly by calling 215-746-9300 or 267-995-0797. Patients can also make an appointment by contacting pdm-infopdm-cares@dental.upenn.edu and health care providers can refer patients via pdm-referpdm-cares@dental.upenn.edu.
Appointments are available Monday – Friday, 9:00 am- 4:00 pm.