CJ Henley, DMD, PA / San Marco, Jacksonville, Florida
Dental care before, during and after head and neck cancer treatment in Jacksonville, FL.
Part of your cancer team, from planning to years after.
Radiation, chemotherapy and surgery for head and neck cancer change the mouth, sometimes for life. Dr. CJ Henley is a general dentist on staff at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville and a member of the Baptist MD Anderson Head and Neck Tumor Board. He works with your oncology team to get your mouth ready before treatment, manage side effects during it, and protect your teeth and jaw afterward.
- 72 hoursour goal for seeing patients referred for cancer care
- 10 yearson the Baptist MD Anderson Head and Neck Tumor Board
- In the ORDr. Henley fits obturators during upper-jaw surgery
Patients come to Jacksonville for head and neck cancer treatment from across the Southeast. If that’s you, see dental care while you’re here for treatment.
Before treatment
Why your mouth needs attention before radiation starts.
Radiation to the head and neck can damage salivary glands, weaken teeth and reduce the jaw’s ability to heal. Problem teeth are much safer to treat before radiation than after it.1,2
Without that planning, people can face severe dry mouth, fast-moving decay, infections, a stiff jaw (trismus) and, most seriously, osteoradionecrosis: jawbone that breaks down and doesn’t heal. A dental visit early in your cancer workup gives any needed extractions time to heal before treatment begins.1
What a pre-radiation exam includes
- A full exam and a cancer-specific risk review
- Dental imaging to find teeth that could cause trouble later
- A decision on each questionable tooth: treat, keep and watch, or remove
- A plan for fluoride, saliva and jaw protection
- Coordination with your radiation oncologist on timing
Read the details in the dental exam before radiation.
During treatment
Keeping you as comfortable as possible through radiation and chemotherapy.
Side effects in the mouth are some of the hardest parts of treatment. Most can’t be prevented entirely, but they can be managed.2
- Mouth sores. Oral mucositis peaks during treatment; we help with rinses, pain control and keeping the mouth clean without making it worse.
- Dry mouth and thick mucus. Saliva substitutes, hydration habits and, when it makes sense, prescription options.
- Infection. Thrush and gum infections are more likely when counts are low. We watch for them and treat them early.
- Taste changes and sensitivity. Practical changes to brushing, toothpaste and food that make eating easier.
Surgery and obturators
When part of the upper jaw is removed.
A maxillectomy can leave an opening between the mouth and the nose or sinus. An obturator is a custom prosthesis that closes it, so you can speak, eat and swallow more normally.
For patients having this surgery at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, Dr. Henley plans the obturator with the surgeon beforehand, fits and adjusts it in the operating room, and follows you through healing to your permanent obturator.
How it works
Two obturators are made from 3D scans before surgery. The first is fitted during the operation; the second is ready as healing changes the shape of your mouth. The permanent one is usually made about a year after surgery, once healing and any radiation are done.
See maxillectomy and palatal obturators, including before-and-after videos.
After radiation
Radiation changes your mouth for life. Your dental care should too.
The risk of decay and jaw problems doesn’t end when treatment does. Lifelong follow-up with a dentist who knows your radiation history is part of staying well.1,2
- Fluoride trays to protect teeth that no longer have saliva’s protection. See fluoride trays and radiation caries.
- More frequent cleanings and checkups, with gentle technique on fragile tissue.
- Jaw exercises to limit stiffness. See radiation-induced trismus.
- Careful planning before any extraction in a radiated area, to lower the risk of osteoradionecrosis.
- Lifelong oral cancer checks for any new or changing spot, alongside your cancer team’s follow-up.
Our role
How we fit into your cancer care.
Your oncologists lead your cancer treatment. Our job is your mouth: preparing it, protecting it and treating it, and keeping your team informed.
Dr. CJ Henley is a general dentist, not a specialist. He has served on the Baptist MD Anderson Head and Neck Tumor Board for about 10 years and is a member of the American Academy of Oral Medicine. He has cared for hundreds of head and neck cancer patients, including many who travel to Jacksonville for treatment.
Our office is out-of-network and doesn’t bill medical insurance. Some cancer-related dental care may fall under medical benefits, so ask your insurer how your plan handles it.
Coming to us from a physician?
Referring offices can send patients through our physician referral page. We aim to see referred cancer patients within 72 hours and send findings back to the referring team.
Traveling for treatment?
If you’re in Jacksonville for cancer care at Baptist MD Anderson, Mayo Clinic or UF Health, see dental care while you’re here for treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about dental care and head and neck cancer.
Why should I see a dentist before head and neck cancer treatment?
Radiation can damage salivary glands, weaken teeth and reduce the jaw’s ability to heal. Treating problem teeth before radiation lowers the risk of infection, rapid decay and osteoradionecrosis, a jawbone breakdown that is hard to treat once it starts.
What happens at a pre-radiation dental exam?
A full exam, dental imaging and a decision on each questionable tooth: treat, keep and watch, or remove. You also get a plan for fluoride, saliva and jaw protection, coordinated with your radiation oncologist.
How soon before radiation should I see a dentist?
As early as you can after diagnosis, so any needed extractions have time to heal before radiation starts. Your radiation team sets the schedule, and we work around it. We aim to see referred cancer patients within 72 hours.
How are mouth side effects managed during treatment?
Mouth sores, dry mouth, thick mucus, infection and sensitivity are managed with rinses, pain control, saliva support, medications when needed and a home-care routine that is gentle on sore tissue.
Why do I need dental care for life after radiation?
Radiation permanently reduces saliva and the jaw’s blood supply, so teeth decay faster and the jaw heals poorly. Fluoride trays, frequent cleanings, jaw exercises and careful planning before any extraction lower the risk of decay and osteoradionecrosis.
Do you coordinate with my oncology team?
Yes. Dr. Henley serves on the Baptist MD Anderson Head and Neck Tumor Board and works with surgeons, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists on timing, findings and treatment decisions.
Do you make obturators after maxillectomy?
Yes, for patients having upper-jaw surgery at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville. Dr. Henley plans the obturator with the surgeon, fits it in the operating room and follows patients through to their permanent obturator.
I’m traveling to Jacksonville for cancer treatment. Can you see me?
Yes. We see head and neck cancer patients from across the Southeast and aim to see referred cancer patients within 72 hours. Call 904.398.1549, or have your oncology office contact us.
Your next step
Preparing for head and neck cancer treatment?
Call our San Marco office as early as you can. The more time before treatment starts, the more options there are.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA3675 Hendricks Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Prefer a nonurgent text? 904.762.5616 is our practice on-call and text line. Please don’t send sensitive health information by text, and call for anything urgent.
Related pages
Sources
- Peterson DE, Koyfman SA, Yarom N, et al. Prevention and Management of Osteoradionecrosis in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Treated With Radiation Therapy: ISOO-MASCC-ASCO Guideline. J Clin Oncol. 2024;42(16):1975-1996.
- PDQ Supportive and Palliative Care Editorial Board. Oral Complications of Cancer Therapies (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version. National Cancer Institute.