Interdisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment of a patient with lesions of the oral mucosa (Clinical case)

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. The management of patients with oral mucosal diseases (OMD) remains a considerable challenge for dental practitioners due to the complexity of diagnosis in everyday clinical practice. According to epidemiological studies, the prevalence of OMD varies widely across countries and populations, ranging from 4.9% to 64.7%, and is influenced by factors such as age and general health status. These pathological conditions significantly reduce patients’ quality of life. Given the complexity of systemic therapy regimens, dentists often encounter difficulties in diagnosing and comprehensively assessing the patient’s overall somatic condition without adequate support from medical specialists. Moreover, oral mucosal lesions may be associated with mucosal and skin lesions of other organs. Therefore, the treatment of OMD requires a multidisciplinary approach. However, general practitioners frequently lack clear guidelines on what exactly to look for and which diagnostic methods to employ.
AIM. To investigate the impact of interdisciplinary collaboration between dentists and medical specialists on the effectiveness of diagnosing and managing oral mucosal diseases.
MATERIALS AND METHODS. To evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary approach in the management of patients with OMD, a survey was conducted among 60 physicians (30 general practitioners and 30 dentists). The questionnaire included items related to the reasons for patient referrals, perceived benefits of consultations, and the necessity of laboratory diagnostics. The data were analyzed to identify discrepancies in perspectives between the two professional groups.
CONCLUSIONS. The primary role of the general practitioner in the management of patients with OMD referred by dentists is to assess potential somatic manifestations of autoimmune diseases (e.g., lichen planus), as well as to evaluate the influence of ongoing pharmacotherapy on the progression of mucosal pathology. A critical component also involves determining the indications and regimens for systemic treatment, taking into account comorbid conditions and minimizing the risk of adverse effects.