WHAT IS ORAL MEDICINE?

“The specialty of dentistry concerned with the oral health care of patients with chronic, recurrent
and medically related disorders of the oral and maxillofacial region, and with their diagnosis and
non-surgical management.”

Oral Medicine is the specialty of dentistry that sits at the interface between dentistry and
medicine. Many Oral Medicine specialists have dental and medical qualifications, and both are
now requirements for entry to training that leads to appointment as a Consultant in Oral
Medicine. This reflects that the specialty had its origins in dentistry, but has evolved to
formally encompass medical aspects of care.

The key difference from Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is that the emphasis in Oral Medicine
is on conditions that are primarily managed without the need for surgery.

There are three main, inter-related aspects to the practice of Oral Medicine:

OOOClinical care

OOOResearch

OOOLearning and teaching

Evidence-Based Clinical Practice

The Society strongly advocates the use of evidence-based clinical practice wherever possible.
Society members have made important contributions to the published evidence-based databases
including contributions to:

OOOCochrane Organisation

OOOClinical Evidence

OOO4th World Workshop on Oral Medicine

Through this combination of activities and skills, Oral Medicine Units provide an important
and unique specialist service to patients and clinicians for the care of complex, chronic
clinical problems.