Observational Study of Dental Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

This is a prospective cohort study to document dental and other oral outcomes in patients who receive external beam radiation therapy with curative intent, as part of clinical care for a head and neck cancer. Five hundred and seventy-five participants will be enrolled. All study participants will receive a baseline oral examination prior to the start of radiation therapy. Follow-up examinations and data collection will be conducted at six-month intervals up to 2 years after the start of radiation therapy. The primary outcome will be the two-year rate of tooth loss. Secondary outcomes will include measures of dental caries, periodontal health, salivary flow, and exposed bone/osteoradionecrosis. The proposed research will provide more information to inform the community about the sequelae of Radiation Therapy (RT) in head and neck cancer patients, to refine current guidelines and to design future studies on the dental management of these patients.