• 3/29/2007
  • Vancouver, WA
  • press release
  • PrimeNewswire (www.primenewswire.com)

A draft version of this press release was released by mistake on March 12, 2007. Gentle Dental apologizes for this error and the misinformation included in that draft. What follows is the corrected version of the press release.

Gentle Dental, a leading provider of comprehensive, convenient and high quality dentistry, announced that it is evaluating several technologies to aid in the early detection of oral cancer. Gentle Dental and its affiliated dentists in eight states recognize the importance of early oral cancer detection and have included visual and tactile screening for oral cancer during all exams for years. Recently new technologies have come to market that augment doctors abilities to see oral abnormalities at extremely early stages, increasing the effectiveness of their screening process. Gentle Dental is now evaluating two of these, the VELscope and ViziLite, in its offices.

Statistics from the Oral Cancer Foundation (www.oralcancer.org) indicate that the incidence of oral cancer is on the rise. In 2006 the number of people in the U.S. diagnosed with oral cancer rose for the first time in 50 years, and the Foundation predicts that this number will rise again this year by 11%, with approximately 34,000 people in the U.S. being diagnosed with oral cancers. Oral cancer will cause over 8,000 deaths, killing about one person every hour of each day.

According to the foundation, of those 34,000 newly diagnosed individuals only half will be alive in five years — a number which has not significantly improved in decades. This is largely because oral cancer is most frequently discovered in its later stages, when the survival rate is only 20 to 30 percent and often only when it has grown and spread to a more readily noticeable region outside the mouth, such as the lymph nodes of the neck. With early detection through opportunistic screenings and the use of tools like the ViziLite and VELscope, Gentle Dental affiliated providers are working to increase the number of cases caught in the earliest, highly survivable stages of the cancer.

“Dental professionals are the first line of defense in our battle against this killer. When they find early stage disease, they have significantly increased that person’s chances of survival,” stated Brian Hill, the Director of The Oral Cancer Foundation, and an oral cancer survivor. “In most situations early discovery has a greater impact on positive final outcomes than the treatments themselves. Dental professionals that incorporate a simple, painless, oral cancer screening into their practice are providing the highest standards of care to their patient populations. These are the doctors that will be responsible for reductions in the extremely high death rate associated with this disease.”

“I’m excited that doctors from our organization are involved in this important screening process, and with the introduction of these new technologies we are on the cutting edge of offering the most comprehensive service to our patients. As the son of a cancer survivor, I feel strongly about helping my patients and their loved ones avoid becoming victims of this terrible disease,” said Dr. Raul Amador, one of the Gentle Dental affiliated dentists evaluating the VELscope in the East Vancouver office where he practices.

“Oral Cancer is the ‘Great Imposter’ since it can mimic common mouth sores which are benign. Most patients do not experience noticeable symptoms in the early stage of the disease process, and that is where the true danger lies. Left undetected it has the opportunity to progress into a late stage killer,” said Gentle Dental affiliated dentist Dr. Edward Conzatti. “Early discovery of the disease by a trained professional will expose these cancers’ deadly work at a stage when treatment is most effective, and survival is most likely.”

Several lifestyle and chemical factors increase the risk for oral cancer, including tobacco and alcohol use. Prolonged exposure to sunlight is the primary cause of cancers of the lip. There is also evidence that the same version of the sexually transmitted Human Papilloma Virus (HPV16), already known as the primary cause of cervical cancers, is a factor in the increasing number of oral cancer cases involving younger, non-smoking patients.

Because early detection greatly improves chances of survival, all family members over 18 should be screened yearly, and more often should they engage in known risk factors such as tobacco use. In addition to twice yearly routine dental exams and cleanings, check with your dentist promptly if you or your family members experience any of the following possible signs of oral cancer:

* A sore that does not heal within 14 days
* An unusual lump or discoloration of the tissues inside the mouth
* Any unusual pain or difficulty in chewing, speaking, or swallowing
* Wart like masses
* Prolonged hoarseness
* Numbness in the mouth or facial region

About Gentle Dental

Gentle Dental is a leading group of affiliated dental providers offering multiple-specialty dental services in the United States. Gentle Dental and its more than 130 sister dental offices provide comprehensive, convenient and high-quality general dentistry, as well as dental specialties, including orthodontics, periodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, pediatric dentistry and oral surgery.