On Oct. 25, 2018, the American Dental Association announced it had adopted a policy that urges dentists to support the use and administration of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

The combined estimate by the American Cancer Society is that there will be more than 50,000 new cases of oral and oropharyngeal cancers in 2018, of which 70 to 80 percent will be attributable to HPV. The HPV vaccine could help prevent the vast majority of the oropharyngeal cases, but compared to other vaccines in the U.S., it is underutilized. According to the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs, the single best predictor of whether a young person or adolescent receives the vaccine is a recommendation from a trusted health care professional.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that boys and girls receive the HPV vaccine during adolescence. For adults who did not receive the vaccine in adolescence, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced approval for persons ages 27 to 45 to be vaccinated.