Methods: All entries for specimens submitted by GDPs, during the 30 year period 1974 - 2003 inclusive, were retrieved using a Foxpro„· windows database. Nine diagnostic categories were used including number of diagnoses, percentage of diagnostic group and percentage of total cases.
Results: GDPs submitted 6,666 out of a total of 53,474 for this period. While the number of specimens increased ten-fold over the 30-year period, specimens from GDPs increased from 7% to 17%. The range of diagnoses increased from 18 to 45. Of the 617 GDPs who submitted material, 210 (34%) submitted a single specimen and 69 (11%) sent only two specimens over a 30 year period. The diagnostic category with the largest number of specimens was mucosal pathology (32%) followed by tooth pathology (25%) and odontogenic cysts (15%). Nine malignant neoplasms were diagnosed, three of which were squamous cell carcinomas. Other significant pathology included 311 benign neoplasms as well as diagnoses ranging from mucosal lesions such as lichen planus and benign mucous membrane pemphigoid to odontogenic cysts.
Conclusion: The number of specimens received from GDPs has more than doubled over the 30-year period; this reflects an increasing demand for a diagnostic oral histopathology service. It is anticipated that the number may increase if more practitioners become specialists in surgical dentistry.