Division of Dentistry

The Dental Division provides oral and dental care for the St. Jude population from newborn through young adult. We treat patients to control and minimize problems that may occur during therapy.

The dental clinic has three categories of service. First, we evaluate new patients to assess their oral condition and treat the patient before therapy is necessary to optimize cancer therapy success. Second, we evaluate and maintain the dentition through out the cancer therapy. The third phase is to evaluate the oral condition of the patient after completion of therapy.

Many of the patients will have compromised dentition after completion of treatment. If this is not due to cancer therapy, the patient will be referred to private practice. A patient that has compromised dentition due to the cancer therapy, they will be treated at the St. Jude Dental Clinic. If the patient is medically compromised, we will treat the patient under general anesthesia in the operating room.

Our goal is to prevent cavities, infection, inadequate saliva, poor oral hygiene and reduce the severity of mucositis. Educating patients and parents is the importance of oral health to overall prognosis.

• Martha Wells, DDS
  Member, St. Jude Faculty, 
  Chief of Dentistry
• James M. Christian, DDS
  UT College of Dentistry
• Mary Austin Smith, DDS
  Staff Dentist, St. Jude
• Gary T. Wilson, DDS
  McRae and Wilson Oral Surgery Group