225 - Development of a Pediatric Oncology Rotation to Facilitate Positive Patient Outcomes

Requisite pediatric medicine rotations during pediatric dental residency are designed to expose the pediatric dental resident to an often limited interprofessional collaboration for the management of immunocompromised patients. A desire to facilitate comprehensive oral healthcare for the heme-oncologic demographic spurred an initiative at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital in Long Island, New York to establish a pediatric oncology rotation in addition to the required pediatric medicine rotation with the goals of increasing accessibility to and education in oral healthcare for both children with cancer and their caretakers, including medical providers.  The rotation protocol established a therapy-based dental home for the pediatric cancer patient engaged in active heme-oncology protocols that would transition to a permanent dental home upon completion of therapy and cultivated an impactful interprofessional relationship between pediatric healthcare professionals. The pediatric dental resident on the novel pediatric oncology rotation facilitated oral health screenings to assess for dental, periodontal, or pathologic diseases and comorbidities and emphasized dental education while the caretaker and healthcare team was also present.  Early oral health intervention through the establishment of the noval pediatric oncology rotation promoted improved oral prognosis through immunosuppressive therapy and facilitated timely dental treatment options for this vulnerable population.