Early detection saves lives. That’s why we include a thorough oral cancer screening as part of every routine dental exam—at no extra charge. It’s quick, painless, and one of the most important things we do to protect your overall health.
Oral cancer is more common than many people realize, and when caught early, survival rates are excellent. Our comprehensive screenings check your mouth, tongue, throat, and neck for any signs that need attention.
An oral cancer screening is a visual and physical examination of your mouth and surrounding tissues. We’re looking for abnormal tissue, lumps, lesions, discoloration, or other changes that could indicate precancerous conditions or oral cancer.
The screening takes just a few minutes and is completely painless. It’s performed during your regular dental checkup, so there’s no separate appointment needed.
Our comprehensive oral cancer screening examines:
We also ask about any persistent symptoms you’ve noticed, like mouth sores that won’t heal, difficulty swallowing, chronic hoarseness, or numbness in your mouth or lips.
Everyone benefits from regular oral cancer screenings, but certain factors increase your risk:
Even if you don’t have risk factors, screenings are important. Oral cancer can affect anyone, and catching it early dramatically improves outcomes.
Finding something unusual doesn’t mean you have cancer—most abnormalities turn out to be benign. However, if we spot anything concerning, we’ll discuss the next steps with you.
This might include:
Quick action is key. When oral cancer is detected early, treatment is more effective and less invasive.
Oral cancer that’s caught early has a five-year survival rate of 80-90%. Unfortunately, many cases aren’t detected until later stages because symptoms are subtle or mistaken for less serious issues.
Regular screenings catch problems when they’re most treatable. That suspicious spot you might have ignored? We’ll notice it. The persistent sore you thought would go away? We’ll investigate it.
This simple screening is included in every dental exam because we believe prevention and early detection are fundamental to comprehensive care.
If it’s been more than six months since your last visit, or if you’ve noticed any unusual changes in your mouth, call us at (780) 500-1001 or book online.
Not at all. The screening is completely painless—we simply look at and gently feel the tissues in your mouth, throat, and neck. There’s no poking, prodding, or discomfort. It’s one of the easiest parts of your dental exam.
We perform oral cancer screenings at every routine dental exam, which for most people means every six months. If you have higher risk factors like tobacco use or a history of oral cancer, we may recommend more frequent screenings.
Warning signs include mouth sores that don’t heal within two weeks, persistent pain or numbness in your mouth, white or red patches on your gums or tongue, lumps or thickening in your cheek, difficulty chewing or swallowing, chronic sore throat, and changes in your voice. If you notice any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment right away—don’t wait for your next regular checkup.
Yes, oral cancer screening is typically included as part of your routine dental exam, which is covered by most dental insurance plans as preventive care. There’s no separate charge for the screening itself.
The most common risk factors are tobacco use (cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco), heavy alcohol consumption, and HPV infection. However, oral cancer can develop in people with no known risk factors, which is why regular screenings are important for everyone.
