Karmaveer Bhausaheb Hiray Dental College & Hospital, Nashik

“As is your pathology, so is your practice.”

– Sir William Osler

Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology is the speciality of dentistry and discipline of Pathology that deals with the nature, identification and management of diseases affecting the oral and maxillofacial regions. It occupies a unique position in the healthcare community for both the dental and medical professionals.

Although laypersons are often entirely ignorant of the role of an Oral Pathologist and fondly imagine that their surgeon, other clinician is the true diagnostician- the reality is that the histology report is the principal determinant of diagnosis, likely clinical course and therapy in any patient.

We are varyingly engaged in basic science and clinical research, and in teaching dental students.

Vision

Oral cancer is estimated to be the sixth most common malignancy.Early recognition is imperative for successful treatment and good prognosis. Although not all oral cancers are preceded by clinically evident premalignant mucosal changes, such changes give a warning of risk and present an opportunity for preventive measures. Tobacco being the most common etiological factor of this dreaded condition, tobacco cessation is of prime importance. We aim to set up a tobacco cessation unit to motivate chronic smokers and tobacco users to discontinue the habit by conducting educational programs which explain the hazardous effects of tobacco.

Elucidating the nature of organisms responsible for various infectious diseases is also planned as a future venture.

Overview of procedures

• Clinical pathology: Routine and diagnostic hematological, serological and biochemical tests are carried out for screening various disorders.
• Cytopathology: Analysis of cells that are scraped off or aspirated from a lesion. It is a non-invasive technique, which allows simple and pain-free collection of intact cells for microscopic examination. The advantage of this technique is that no surgical procedure is needed, large areas can be screened and repetition is unlimited.
• Histopathology: Obtaining, processing and reporting a biopsy specimen for definitive diagnosis of various oral and maxillofacial lesions. Despite the sophisticated imaging techniques, precise blood studies and nuclear scans available today, the scalpel blade and light microscope remain the most diagnostic tools.