Pallavi Parashar, BDS, DDS, FRCD(C), is a board-certified
oral pathologist and a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and
Maxillofacial Pathology. A fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of
Canada and the American Academy of Oral Medicine, Parashar is an
associate clinical professor and the Oral Medicine Graduate Program codirector at the
University of Alberta, Edmonton, School of Dentistry. She can be reached at:
pparasha@ualberta.ca.
Dental hygienists should be able to recognize these common oral conditions in order to reassure patients and provide necessary treatment, as well as to rule out the presence of malignancies.
By promoting healthy behaviors and encouraging prevention, dental hygienists can make a difference in both the oral and systemic health of this patient population.