Have you begun to seriously explore the role of oral cancer in the lives of your patients, and your practice? 
This week we start a 3-part series on Oral Cancer with Dr. Jonathan Bregman, who returns to share specific information and advice for dentists,, including an Action Plan Outline you can refer to (all shared from the GOLD Practice Network, http://www.mydentalchannel.com/now)
You can listen to this now: (and please download the Action Plan that goes along with each step of the series here,
http://www.mydentalchannel.com/huddles/MyDentalChannel-Bregman-Guide.pdf
If you have any challenges listening to the audio, please visit here:
The Oral Cancer Series With Dr. Jonathan Bregman
Dr. Bregman has a new blog, http://www.oralcanceraware.com, in which he shares stories from this important subject.
Did you know:
1. Diagnoses of oral cancer are growing from 9 to 11%, so almost 1 out of 10 of your patients is likely affected;
2. Oral cancer causes twice as many deaths per year as cervical cancer
3. We have a growing ability to catch it early.
4. You will be saving lives.
As Dr. Bregman has written in an article for Dental Economics
in which he shares the following:
"Although I have read and spoken these statistics numerous times, these negative statistics still shock me.
- Every hour, of every day, of every month, of every year someone
dies as a result of oral cancer. - The five-year survival rate of 50% for oral cancer has not changed in the past 35+ years.
- Of all the new cases of oral cancer diagnosed this year, 25% of those occur in individuals who do not have the previously
accepted standard risk factors for the disease, with a significant
percent having no known risk factors. - HPV 16/18 infection has a direct correlation to oral cancer
through sexual activity with the population of concern 18 years (some say 13 years) and older. - In a recent nationwide survey, the percentage of patients that reported receiving a complete oral cancer examination at their last dental visit was 20%. One recent statewide survey showed 31%.
Thankfully, there are some positive statistics:
- Early detection and diagnosis of oral cancer can improve the five-year survival rate to 85% to 90%.
- As with mammography for breast cancer, colonoscopy for colon cancer, and PSA for prostate cancer, new adjunctive technologies to the complete oral examination
- The Garasil vaccine (by Merck, Inc.), a series of three injections
(especially when received prior to the onset of sexual activity), will not only dramatically reduce the rate of cervical cancer caused by HPV, but will reduce the related rate of oral cancer as well."
At MyDentalChannel, I've been lucky to interview many experts of the past few years. It's my job to give you the best minds, ideas, and practices to you can create your own, GOLD Practice...because I'm putting these into action in my own practice every day.
So when I tell you that Dr. Bregman's interview is a must listen, it is because I know the importance of oral cancer awareness for your practice The entire interview (available to
GOLD Practice Members only--LINK this to sales page) is available to our Members.
I hope you enjoy this as much as our GOLD Members are right now...
Sincerely,
John Buzza
http://www.mydentalchannel.com/now
PS Be sure to check for parts 2 and 3 coming in the next few weeks. And remember to get your Action Plan Outline you can refer to (all shared from the GOLD Practice Network, http://www.mydentalchannel.com/now)
PPS The GOLD Digital Study Group now has over 35 members, see what all the buzz is about:
http://www.mydentalchannel.com/now