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Abstract

This study was done to assess patients’ opinion about the diagnostic delay of suspicious oral lesions they were presented with in the Out-patient Department. To estimate the time between the discovery of lesions and seek professional help, visit a healthcare professional, and referral being issued and time between referral and appointment with a specialist for clinically evident oral malignant and premalignant disorders.
A longitudinal cross-sectional study was conducted at Fatima Jinnah Dental College and Hospital, Karachi. The sample size of 384 was calculated using OpenEpi software. The study duration was 2 years from January 2019 to December 2020. The convenience sampling technique was used. Ethical approval was taken from the Institution’s Ethical Review Committee. A 16-items questionnaire was designed to collect study data.
Study data revealed that 57.7% patients used over the counter medication or applied home-based remedies to treat the oral lesions. Around 28.8% of patients were negligent of any changes in the oral cavity and the lesion was diagnosed incidentally when the oral examination was performed for other dental treatment. 96.6% of patients were satisfied with the advice provided by their referring dental practitioner and most (84.7%) agreed to act on their referral immediately. However, 15.2% of patients still delayed their specialist appointment > than one month.
Patients understand that all forms of oral lesions require professional dental care for the better treatment.