In recognition of April as Dental Health month, one local dentist will provide free oral cancer screening exams.
“It’s one way of giving back to the community while recognizing the importance of oral health”, said Dr. Shawn Lee.
During the month of April, Lee’s office will schedule free exams using VELscope technology to detect abnormalities which could indicate the presence of oral cancer.
“The oral cancer exam takes very little time, and involves no pain or inconvenience,” said Lee.
“Basically, our scope can literally help us discover potentially dangerous tissue that we might otherwise miss.”
Statistics show that the incidence of oral cancer is growing and has three times as many victims as cervical cancer. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, approximately 34,000 individuals are newly diagnosed with oral cancer yearly in the U.S. alone.
While the death rate is high –– about half of those diagnosed will not survive more that five years –– with early detection survival rates are high and side effects from treatment are at their lowest.
“Historically the death rate associated with this cancer is particularly high not because it is hard to discover or diagnose, but due to the cancer being routinely discovered late in its development,” according to the foundation.
“In the early stages of oral cancer’s development, it often is painless, and the physical signs may not be obvious. This makes it a very dangerous disease. Regular screenings by a qualified medical or dental professional, combined with a person’s knowledge of the warning signs and symptoms, will allow its discovery in the earliest possible stages, when cure and survival are most likely. Even pre-cancerous tissue changes can be detected by a trained professional.
Free screenings can be booked with Lee by calling 250-542-1315.
