Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis of Oral and Maxillofacial Malignancies: A Retrospective Study

Objectives: The aims of this study were to characterize the type and frequency of oral and maxillofacial malignancies in an outpatient oral pathology service and to examine the impact of COVID-19 on the diagnosis of such malignancies by dentists in Ontario, Canada. Study Design: Our study included 775 malignancies submitted to an outpatient oral pathology service. Demographic and diagnostic data, including age, sex, submitting clinician type, anatomic site and diagnosis, were collected and analyzed for 2 periods, 2015-2019 and 2020. Results: Malignancies represented 2% of total submissions to our biopsy service. Oral surface epithelial malignancies were the most common, followed by hematologic and salivary gland malignancies. During the period in which dental offices were restricted (April-May 2020), 59% fewer malignancies were submitted compared with the preceding 5 years. Despite this reduction, total malignant submissions for 2020 and post-lockdown (July-September 2020) were significantly elevated compared with previous years (p = 0.0006 and p = 0.0008, respectively). Conclusion: Our study reaffirms the important role that dentists play in the diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial malignancies. Our assessment of 2020 data highlights the impact of dental office closures on the diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial malignancies during the COVID-19 pandemic.