Lay summary
Many oral disorders and neoplasms are associated with population risk factors (smoking, alcohol etc). Therefore, we can estimate that if this risk is high among certain communities, the disorder should also be expected to rise. However, the data for Māori and Pasifika adults on oral cancer, other neoplasms and oral mucosal disorders are scarce and under reported. The Oral Pathology Centre, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, receives oral biopsies from across New Zealand, however, it has no mechanism to regulate the sent biopsies or discriminate between the different ethnicities of patients providing the sample. This research is a feasibility study on the capability of setting up a Māori and Pasifika oral pathology tissue bank. Establishment of this tissue bank will lead to a better understanding and management of oral health/disorders among Māori and Pasifika patients, as well as further multidisciplinary research in oral neoplasms in Māori and Pasifika.