Oral medicine is the non-surgical management of patients with diseases of the oral mucosal tissues (lining of the mouth).
Patients are seen for assessment, investigations, diagnosis, advice and treatment. Many patients remain on long-term follow up due to the chronic nature of their disease.
Our oral medicine service offers a comprehensive range of care and management focusing on the diagnosis and non-surgical management of predominantly chronic, recurrent and medically-related disorders of the orofacial region. There is access to, and liaison with a wide range of dental and medical specialties including: dental specialists, radiology, oral surgery, psychiatry, clinical psychology, neurology, neurosurgery, dermatology, rheumatology and gastroenterology. Referrals are considered from general dental surgeons, general medical practitioners and secondary care clinicians.
Patient contact
General enquiries
Service management
Carol Merchant-Thompson
Address
Oral medicine
Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals
47-49 Huntley Street
London
WC1E 6DG
Other referral information
Please find our oral medicine referral proforma below. Please download the referral form (PDF). Referral forms should then be emailed to Eastman Central Registry for Referrals (ECRA)
Referrals can also be made using ‘NHS e-Referral Service (formally Choose and Book referrals) ’All patients referred using this method are expected to be registered with a dental practitioner.
Urgent referrals should be clearly marked and will be prioritised.
Please refer patients who are suspected to have oral cancer directly to the Head & Neck Cancer service using the Pan London Suspected Oral Cancer Referral Form. Please see Cancer urgent referrals (2ww) : University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Conditions which may be referred:
- Dry mouth secondary to medications, radiotherapy, autoimmune disease or infections affecting the salivary glands
- Other disorders of the major or minor salivary glands (e.g. obstructive disease, non-neoplastic swelling)
- Oral mucosal disease , including lichen planus, pemphigus vulgaris, mucous membrane pemphigoid, erythema multiforme and recurrent aphthous stomatitis
- Oral manifestations of gastrointestinal diseases including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and coeliac disease
- Oral mucosal white and red patches,.
- Oral Epithelial Dysplasia (in partnership with the Head & Neck Cancer service)
- Orofacial swelling including orofacial granulomatosis
- Oral infections including bacterial, viral and fungal infections
- Oral malodour
- Oral manifestations of adverse reactions to drugs or dental materials
- Oral manifestations of systemic disease
- Oral complications of cancer therapy including osteoradionecrosis and medication-related osteonecrosis of the jawbones.
- Other non-neoplastic disease of the jawbones.
Patients with orofacial pain should be referred to the ‘UCLH Facial Pain Service’; Patients with dental disease such as caries and periodontal disease should be referred to the appropriate dental specialty.
Access to patient results
Results of investigations will be included within patient letters and will be available via the UCLH MyChart hospital app.
Referral address
Eastman Central Registry for Referrals (ECRA)
Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals
250 Euston Road
London
WC1E 6DG
We care for patients with:
- Oral mucosal disorders e.g. oral lichen planus, mucous membrane pemphigoid, pemphigus, recurrent aphthous stomatitis and erythema multiforme
- Potentially malignant and malignant oral conditions with onward referral to oncology teams as appropriate
- Salivary gland diseases including dry mouth
- Oral manifestations of systemic diseases e.g. systemic lupus erythematosus, Crohn’s disease, HIV
- Diagnosis and management of infections presenting in the oral cavity e.g. recurrent herpes simplex (cold sores), oral candidosis
4,500 patients are seen annually, of whom approximately 1,300 are new patients.
