94 - Beyond Clearance: The Need for Ongoing Dental Assessment in Oncology Patients​

Purpose:
To evaluate whether pediatric patients diagnosed with Leukemia receive timely dental evaluation after hospital admission and appropriate ongoing dental follow-up at the 1-year oncology visit.

Methods:
A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients ages 2 to 12 years admitted between January 2022 and January 2025. Data included timing of dental evaluation after admission (early ≤4 weeks, late >4 weeks, or none), oral health status at examination, and documentation of oral health assessment and dental referral at the 1-year oncology visit. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize outcomes.

Results:
Sixty-two patients were included [mean age=7±3 years; male=50%]. Forty-two % received an early dental exam, 16 % had a late exam, and 42 % had no dental evaluation. Good oral health was more frequent among patients with early exams (88 %) compared to late exams (70 %). At 1-year follow-up (n=56), 96 % had documented oral health evaluation by oncology; however, only 11 % had documented dental history or referral.

Conclusions:
While oral health is routinely assessed in pediatric oncology patients, timely dental evaluation and ongoing follow-up remain inconsistent. Early dental evaluation was associated with improved oral health outcomes, yet a substantial gap persists between assessment and dental intervention. These findings highlight the need to move beyond initial clearance toward standardized, continuous dental care throughout oncology treatment.