MDS (oral pathology)

The discipline of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology is a clinical specialty, undertaken by laboratory-based dentists, that is concerned with the diagnosis and assessment of diseases of the oral and maxillofacial region. It is a branch of histopathology and, in common with medical histopathologists, oral and maxillofacial pathologists provide reports based on interpretation of tissue biopsies of varying types and of surgical resection material.

The main method of examination of specimens is by light microscopy, but this is supplemented by other techniques as appropriate, such as immunohistochemistry, molecular analysis and electron microscopy. The majority of specialists are senior academics with honorary consultant status who are based in dental schools; however, there is a small number of specialists appointed to NHS posts in regional or district hospitals. Academic trainees, such as Lecturers, Academic Clinical Fellows (ACFs) and Academic Clinical Lecturers (ACLs), will need to obtain higher academic degrees related to proficiency in research, as well as specialist training in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology.

The designation “oral pathology” has traditionally referred to all aspects of the pathology of the mouth and related tissues. This general description, which has remained unchanged for many years, reflected the academic and service responsibilities of most pathologists based within university dental schools. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the scope and complexity of diagnostic work undertaken. This has arisen partly because of the range of surgery now undertaken by specialists in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS), blurring of some boundaries between OMFS and ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery, the development of head and neck cancer services and the trend for increasing specialisation within diagnostic histopathology.