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Dental Services

Dental Services

Many St. Jude patients visit the Dental Clinic during therapy. Dental problems can cause serious complications while in treatment. Radiation to the head affects the salivary glands and cavities can cause complications for a bone marrow transplant patient. The Dental Services staff works hard to put children at ease and make their visit enjoyable.

The Dental Clinic staff performs many procedures a year. Some of these procedures and services are:

Patient treatment

  • Screening and evaluation of new patients undergoing chemotherapy, radiation and bone marrow transplant.
  • Routine cleaning and dental restorations for on-therapy patients. If the patient needs extensive dental work, complete rehabilitation of teeth is available under general anesthesia.
  • Dental exams for patients before undergoing stem cell / bone marrow transplant. During transplant a patient’s infection-fighting ability decreases. A child who has a cavity can develop infections, which can seriously complicate the stem cell / bone marrow transplant.
  • Dental exams for patients undergoing head and neck radiation. Radiation to the head negatively affects the salivary glands. Saliva washes away bacteria in the mouth. When saliva is absent, it can cause teeth to deteriorate.
  • Emergency care for all oral problems.
 

Clinical research

  • Clinical research on immediate and long term oral problems, including late effects of therapy.

Outreach

  • St. Jude staff and community education.
  • Consultation for community dentists.
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