Oral cancer is a silent killer, claiming one life every hour, every day. The dentists at 123Dentist.com are helping to change those statistics, by offering free oral cancer screening for residents of the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.
According to the Oral Cancer Awareness Foundation (OrCA.org), awareness of oral cancer is low when compared to other cancers such as cervical, lung and colon cancers.
123Dentist spokesman Karim Shivji notes that “the public knows that early detection and treatment of breast cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer are the key to increasing survival – and they know to go to their doctor to get checked. But most people don’t know how prevalent and insidious late stage oral cancer can be, and they don’t know that they can be tested at the dentist as part of their routine oral health exams.
Early detection of oral cancer can increase survival rates by up to 90 per cent – and these days detection can be accomplished even before the disease is visible to the naked eye.”
According to Dr. Ed Wong, “at our 123Dentist.com clinics, we use tissue exams and VELscope oral cancer screening technology invented at the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver to screen patients for any evidence of early stage abnormalities. VELscope's fluorescent light screening make testing for oral cancer painless, non-invasive and quick – it might take just five minutes of a patient’s time to potentially save years of their lives.”
Oral cancer is now being diagnosed in non-smoking individuals as early as 20 years old. Traditionally, oral cancer has been associated with older patients who smoke, but there has been an increase in oral cancer detection in the younger population in recent years. Adults of all ages are encouraged to screen for oral cancer. If found in its early stages of development, people with oral cancer have an 80 to 90 per cent survival rate, compared to a 45 per cent death rate within five years when the cancer is found in its late stages.
Patients can visit www.123Dentist.com to reserve a free oral cancer screening for themselves or their loved ones at a participating 123Dentist.com clinic in their own community.
To learn more about the 123Dentist.com Free Oral Cancer Screening Event and for facts on oral cancer visit www.123dentist.com/awareness
In Abbotsford, Clayburn Dental will be offering free oral cancer screenings April 28 from noon to 3 p.m. No appointment necessary.