April has arrived with thoughts of spring, flowers and new beginnings. Did you think it's also oral cancer awareness month? Why the cross through of the word cancer? Five years ago, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, a global leader in cancer care and research changed its logo to indicate their intention to strike out cancer. This idea can be seen in ads, PSA's, signage in airports and more. TV and radio ads bleep the word cancer. It's time for dentistry to bring these type of innovative ideas from other successful cancer awareness groups to make finally start seeing positive changes in the mortality and morbidity of oral cancer.

Be Part of the Change

Statistics show that 42,000 newly diagnosed with oral cancer since last year's awareness month. Fully 40% of those individuals will be lost to the disease by the year 2020. One person dies from oral cancer every hour 24-7-365 which adds up to 8,760 people died since our last awareness month. The unfortunate news is we have a seen a change in the rates of oral cancer-a negative change. There has been a dramatic increase being driven by a virus. The HPV 16 virus is replacing tobacco as the primary driver of the disease with healthy, young non-smokers dominating those newly diagnosed.

Never before has opportunistic screening and public awareness been more important. Insanity is to continue to the same things over and over thinking we will get a different outcome. It's time to learn from others success. The Oral Cancer Foundation (www.oralcancedrfoundation.org) asks each of us to be part of the change. The ways you can make a difference are many and varied.

Building a Collaborative Health Team

Consistency of screening is the first step. To guide the session, you can use something as simple as using the one of the excellent hands-on demonstration videos on YouTube. In addition to the extraoral/intraoral screening, decide specifically together your protocol for written documentation and more importantly photographic documentation. Extraoral and intraoral screening is still the gold standard and the foundation needed to determine the use of adjunctive technologies. Discuss the adjunctive fluorescent screening technologies. If you have one already, calibrate how each person is using it; if you don't discuss which system to buy.

The key to success is the collaborative teams that can build with your practice with periodontists, oral surgeons, and oral pathologists. But don't stop there; build relationships with medical professionals too. Also include connections with oncologists, oncology nurses and more. For your patients that are diagnosed with oral cancer, find the resources needed to help support them like Oral Cancer Cause (www.oralcancercause.org.)  Together we can make a difference and strike out oral cancer.

Patti DiGangi

Author Bio:

Patti DiGangi, RDH, BS, is a vision driven-clinician who is known for bringing timely situations to her audiences. Her DentalCodeology (www.DentalCodeology.com) books provide easy steps for the dental team to take to increase their ROI (return on investment). No one in the practice can be hands-off with coding. Learning the practical, applicable steps leads to making life easier and more profitable with a team excited about the future. She can be reached at info@pdigangi.com.