4 Minutes for a Lifetime:
Why Our Oral Cancer Screening Practices Must Evolve!
Presented by: Jo-Anne Jones, RDH, FIADFE—Dentistry Today 2025 CE Leader
Oral and oropharyngeal cancers continue to escalate with trends showing a shift in both etiologic pathways and patient profile.
We can no longer assume that this type of cancer afflicts older males who are heavy tobacco and alcohol users, as today’s oral and oropharyngeal cancers are increasingly seen in younger patients without the traditional risk factors.
This changing landscape has elevated a critical need for our professional community to re-evaluate our screening practices. Subtle, and often life-saving symptoms are too often overlooked, mistaken for other medical conditions, all leading to late-stage discovery.
With this we can expect more invasive treatment, disfigurement, and reduced clinical outcomes. It is time to take our position on the frontline translating our efforts into earlier discovery, improved survival rates, and better quality of life for our patients.
4 minutes of our time may translate into a lifetime for our patient.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of the webinar, the participant will be able to
- Understand the trends that are escalating oral and oropharyngeal cancer today
- Identify the critical palpation techniques of high risk extraoral and intraoral anatomical sites
- Re-evaluate their present screening methods and embrace necessary actionable changes
- Understand the utilization and benefits of fluorescent screening technology
- Be equipped with clinical and educational resources for knowledge translation to practice
