Nikolaos Nikitakis

Diseases of the Oral Mucosa in Children and Adolescents: A guide to differential diagnosis and management

Childhood is arguably the most critical period in every person’s life, characterized by an intricate interplay between the genetic background of each individual and the unique environmental influences, which, together, determine the growth and development of any child. Ideally, this process towards adulthood evolves physiologically in a condition of health; however, children are not “immune” to various types of pathology, which affect any part of the human body, including the oral mucosa. Indeed, a plethora of oral mucosal diseases, both local and systemic, may affect children and adolescents; these pathologic conditions may be similar to those presenting in adulthood or may be quite different or even unique for childhood. Further, they may be limited to the mouth or have manifestations in other systems and organs as well. The etiopathogenesis, clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment and prognosis of these conditions are very diverse. Knowledge of the pediatric oral pathology is a challenging task for every dentist, general or specialized, or pediatrician, but also a required competency to promptly detect, accurately diagnose and successfully manage oral diseases of childhood. At the same time, the reward for caring for a child and, in some cases, intervening in a way that may be helpful, significant or even crucial for their oral and general health, is invaluable.
This lecture aims to highlight key issues related specifically to oral mucosa and minor salivary glands in childhood and adolescence. Selected entities will be presented classified into variations of the normal, developmental anomalies, hereditary conditions, soft tissue cysts, traumatic and reactive lesions, immunologic conditions, infections, granulomatous diseases, vascular tumors and malformations, pigmented lesions, conditions with neurologic symptomatology, and benign or malignant neoplasms. The focus will be on clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, and appropriate management, through discussion of specific cases highlighting the value of an interdisciplinary approach.

Professor Nikolaos G. Nikitakis received his DDS and MD from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Greece and his PhD from the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), USA. He is Diplomate of the ABOMP and Fellow of the AAOMP and AAOM. He has also completed a sabbatical in the School of Dentistry and MD Anderson Cancer Center in the University of Texas, Houston (UTH), USA.
Prof. Nikitakis is currently the Dean, as well as Professor and Chair, Department of Oral Medicine & Pathology and Hospital Dentistry, in the School of Dentistry, NKUA.
He is Past President of the European Association of Oral Medicine (EAOM), in which he served as Secretary General (2014-2018) and President (2018-2021). He is also currently President of the Hellenic Association of Oral Medicine and Pathology (HAOMP).
His clinical interests include the clinical and histopathologic diagnosis and management of oral and maxillofacial diseases, while his research endeavors primarily focus on oral, head and neck oncology/cancer research.
He has published over 260 peer-reviewed scientific papers and 180 abstracts, with more than 3.600 citations and h index: 36 on Scopus and 5.900 citations and h index: 45 on Google Scholar. He is author of a textbook in Contemporary Oral Medicine and Pathology and of several chapters in other textbooks and handbooks. He serves in the Editorial Board of various scientific journals.
He has presented and lectured extensively in national and international meetings and has been invited as Visiting Professor/Lecturer in several Universities in Europe and America. For his scientific work, he has received several honors and awards.