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The need and availability of dental services for terminally ill cancer patients: a nationwide survey in Japan

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Abstract

Objective

Considering the high incidence of oral complications in terminally ill cancer patients, dental services are necessary for high-quality palliative care. However, to our knowledge, there have been no nationwide studies examining the need and availability of dental services in palliative care. In this study, a nationwide survey was conducted to clarify the need and availability of dental services for physicians and nurses engaged in palliative care in Japan.

Materials and methods

A questionnaire was distributed to 436 certified palliative care units and palliative care teams registered with Hospice Palliative Care Japan. The questionnaire consisted of questions related to (1) background, (2) need of dental services, and (3) availability of dental services.

Results

The response rate was 48.2 % (n = 210). As a whole, 93 % of all respondents indicated that dental services were absolutely necessary, highly necessary, or necessary. In addition, 94 % of respondents thought dental treatment by dentists was often or sometimes necessary; 96 % of respondents thought oral care provided by specialists was often or sometimes necessary. As a whole, 71 % of the respondents reported that dental services were always available, but 28 % reported that dental services were available only sometimes. In actuality, in 31 % of the institutions, dental services were available 1 day/week or less, and in 39 %, dental services were dispatched from outside the institution.

Conclusion

The results of this study revealed that Japanese palliative care units and teams have a markedly high need of dental services, but there is insufficient availability. To improve oral complications of terminally ill cancer patients, dentistry professionals should be more available in palliative care.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a Health and Labor Sciences Research Grant in Japan. The authors would like to thank Mr. Yasuo Shima for his cooperation in the collection of questionnaire responses.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dentistry, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan

    Tomohisa Ohno

  2. Department of Palliative and Supportive Care, Palliative Care Team and Seirei Hospice, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan

    Tatsuya Morita

  3. Division of Clinical Oral Rehabilitation, The Nippon Dental University Graduate School of Life Dentistry at Tokyo, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Fumiyo Tamura & Takeshi Kikutani

  4. Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Medical Center, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Hirohiko Hirano

  5. Department of Oral Diseases Research, Japanese National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan

    Yutaka Watanabe

  6. Department of Advanced Medicine Dentistry and Dental/Oral Surgery, Japanese National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan

    Tomohisa Ohno

Authors
  1. Tomohisa Ohno
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  2. Tatsuya Morita
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  3. Fumiyo Tamura
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  4. Hirohiko Hirano
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  5. Yutaka Watanabe
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  6. Takeshi Kikutani
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tomohisa Ohno.

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Ohno, T., Morita, T., Tamura, F. et al. The need and availability of dental services for terminally ill cancer patients: a nationwide survey in Japan. Support Care Cancer 24, 19–22 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-2734-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-2734-5

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