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| Chief Hironobu Hata, Ph.D., D.D.S. |
Deputy Chief Kumiko Oka, Ph.D., D.D.S. |
Senior Staff Shunsuke Ochiai, D.D.S. |
Yuka Yamada, D.D.S. |
Chief Resident Kaya Hirai, D.D.S. |
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| Resident Ayaka Watanabe, D.D.S. |
Resident Ari Hamura, D.D.S. |
During a cancer treatment, a patient often develops disorders in the oral mucosal membrane or oral ulcer due to the adverse effects of anti-cancer drugs or radiation therapy. If these disorders worsen, the patient might need to postpone or suspend the cancer treatment. At the Division of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, the “oral supportive care” is provided to treat or prevent oral problems during the course of cancer treatment, supporting cancer patients to let them continue their cancer treatments in safe and secure manners. The practice of “dentistry supporting cancer patients” has been increasing nationwide, as many other cancer hospitals and core cancer hospitals in Japan have also started setting up dentistry departments supporting the patients in the same manner as the SCC.
The Division of Dentistry and Oral Surgery supports patients by managing oral complications to alleviate discomfort during cancer therapy and improve overall quality of life. In order to achieve this goal, we advance three principals; promoting oral care, promoting multidisciplinary team medicine, and coordinating with local dentists.
It is often the case that cancer patients have oral problems as side effects of their cancer treatments. However, it has been proven that the oral problems can be prevented or reduced by maintaining the oral health. The Division of Dentistry and Oral Surgery was established when the hospital first opened, and we have been consistently providing both professional oral care and patient education on self-care ever since. Thanks to our proactive care, it is exceptionally rare for our patients to have their cancer treatmets delayed or suspended due to oral issues.
We work closely with other clinical divisions to support patients undergoing “cancer treatments with an elevated risk of oral complications” including chemotherapy, and head and neck radiation therapy. By stepping in early, even before their cancer treatments begin, we help prevent the oral problems, so that the patients can complete their cancer treatments just as scheduled. In addition, for when they start having oral issues during their cancer treatments, we have a rapid-response protocol to manage them.
Most cancer patients spend their time at home, except when they are at the SCC as inpatients or outpatients. This means oral care or treatment at this division in the SCC won’t be sufficient. For this reason, we highly recommend our patients to have their own “family dentists” in the towns where they live and have regular oral checkups with them. At the SCC, we have created a support system for our cancer patients through collaboration with many local dentists within Shizuoka Prefecture, so that the patients can have continuous oral care, both before and after hospitalization, at the local dental clinics near their homes. Also, during the cancer treatment, we work together with their family dentists whenever it is necessary to provide our patients with supportive care and dental procedures for their oral disorders.
We support the cancer patients by treating their oral problems to let them continue their cancer treatments as scheduled. And this attitude is being adopted at other cancer hospitals, too. The movement has led to building up a structure involving many hospitals and dental clinics nationwide. It is still in progress, and with the structure, all the cancer patients in Japan can have oral health checks at the nearest dental clinics, regardless of where they live or which cancer hospital they go to. In addition, self-oral-care is one of the important cancer therapies. If you have anything that you are not sure about the oral care, please visit the Division of Dentistry and Oral Surgery and ask us. Also, as we take care of any oral problems associated with cancer or cancer treatments, please come to us whenever you have any troubles or concerns about your teeth or mouth during your cancer treatment.
oral supportive care
Certified Doctor, the Japanese Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Certified Doctor and Specialist, the Japanese Society of Dentistry for Medically Compromised Patient
The Japanese Association of Oral Supportive Care in Cancer
Coaching Dentist for Clinical Training
oral surgery
Certified Doctor, the Japanese Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
The Asian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (Asian AOMS)
The Japanese Society of Pediatric Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
The Japanese Academy of Maxillofacial Implants
The Japanese Society of Orofacial Pain
The Japanese Society for Temporomandibular Joint
The Japan Prosthodontic Society
The Japanese Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
The Japanese Academy of Maxillofacial Implants
The Japanese Society of Oral Medicine
The Japanese Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
The Japanese Society of Periodontology
The Japanese Society of Gerodontology
