Oral medicine

What we do

Oral Medicine specialises in diagnosing and treating disorders of the mouth and jaw that need non-surgical care.

These include:

• abnormalities of the lining of your mouth:
• white or red or pigmented patches
• lumps and bumps
• ulcers
• pain in your face, jaw or mouth
• mouth dryness and salivary gland disorders.
  

We see urgent referral patients with suspected oral cancer within two weeks.

We also carry out research projects to improve clinical management or to find causes of disease. Currently, these include:

• oral cancer in young people and their care
• tests for oral cancer screening
• laser excision of precancerous sores (oral leukoplakia).
  

We do not specialise in common dental disorders such as tooth and gum disease or mouth trauma/injuries. They are treated by other units at the Dental Hospital.

Preparing for your appointment

Please bring to your appointment:

• a referral letter from your GP or dentist
• a completed medical history form
• the name and address of your GP or dentist (GP if referred by your dentist, dentist if referred by your GP).
  

Location

Ground floor, Dental Institute, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS

Contact Details

Patient Information Leaflets

Conditions we treat

In our clinics we see patients with:

• oral ulcers/ulceration
• lumps and swellings of the oral cavity (including lymphadenopathy)
• white and red patches (including lichen planus and oral submucous fibrosis) suggestive of potentially malignant disease or malignancy
• stomatitis (including candidosis) and chelitis (or cheliosis)
• pigmentary conditions of the oral mucosa
• facial pain and burning mouth symptoms
• dry mouth or other symptoms related to salivary gland disease.
  

We offer a urgent two-week referrals service for the following:

• Oral ulcer/lump that has lasted more than two weeks and is unexplained/ persistent and unresolved following the removal of an obvious local cause(s) considered suspicious of a malignancy.
• A persistent oral ulcer associated with unexplained tooth mobility not associated with periodontal disease
• A patient with an acute episode of severe and somewhat generalised oral ulceration in lips, mouth or oro-pharynx.
• Any patient with a blistering disease that leads to oral ulceration.
  

Booking a patient at King's

Appointments for this service are made via the national Choose and Book system. Please see the Choose and Book page for more information.

Other ways to refer

Routine Referrals

Send referrals addressed to the consultant by name or the Central Referrals Office at:

The Dental Institute
King's College Hospital
Denmark Hill
London
SE5 9RS

Emergency Referrals

For two-week referrals

Please call the Central Referral/Two Week Wait office on 020 3299 4988.

For urgent referrals:

Please fax the Oral Medicine Unit on 020 3299 3624 or discuss with the consultant to whom the practitioner is referring the case.

Other Queries

For other enquires, please contact the Department Clinical Secretary, tel: 020 3299 2872.

Referral Forms

There are no referral forms for this service.

Key Clinical Staff