Shining a Light on Common Oral Diseases-Shining a Light on Common Oral Diseases

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar, “Shining a Light on Common Oral Diseases,” presented by Dr. Tanya Gibson, reviewed how to recognize, biopsy, and manage common oral lesions. She organized the material into lumps and bumps, pigmentations, mucosal alterations, and ulcerations, emphasizing the importance of clinical correlation, differential diagnosis, and choosing biopsy type and site carefully.<br /><br />She highlighted benign lesions such as irritation fibromas, mucoceles, lymphoepithelial cysts, geographic tongue, candidiasis, cheek biting, and smokeless tobacco keratosis, while also showing how similar-appearing lesions can be malignant, including mucoepidermoid carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, metastatic disease, and multiple myeloma. Dr. Gibson stressed that pigmented lesions with concerning ABCDE features should usually be biopsied unless classic evidence supports a benign cause such as an amalgam tattoo.<br /><br />For ulcerations, she discussed traumatic ulcers, recurrent herpes, aphthous ulcers, lichen planus, and mucous membrane pemphigoid, noting that some conditions require both routine histology and direct immunofluorescence biopsies. In the Q&A, she advised biopsying the most suspicious area in large lesions and using separate, clearly labeled containers for multiple biopsy sites. Overall, the lecture emphasized that any unexplained oral lesion should be evaluated promptly and biopsied when in doubt.

Asset Caption

Description This course will look at common oral diseases that a clinician will likely encounter in their practice. Participants will learn how to clinically assess them and determine the appropriate management strategy of these lesions. Strategies that will minimize clinical diagnostic pitfalls will be highlighted. Learning Objectives Recognize common oral lesions. Develop a differential diagnosis for common oral lesions. Know when it is appropriate to refer a patient. Learn strategies on how to manage common oral lesions. Learn strategies for obtaining a diagnostic biopsy. Speaker Bio Tanya Marie Gibson, DDS, is an associate professor with tenure in the Department of Oral Pathology, Radiology and Medicine at the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Dentistry. She graduated from Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in 2001 and completed her residency in oral and maxillofacial pathology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in 2004. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and a fellow of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology.

Keywords

oral diseases

oral lesions

biopsy

differential diagnosis

pigmented lesions

ulcerations

squamous cell carcinoma

candidiasis

direct immunofluorescence