dentists – Page 2 – Oral Cancer News

Can dentists commit malpractice?

Source: www.livegreenlivestrong.com Author: linkvine Dentists, like other kinds of health professionals, are accountable for maintaining the highest standards in the service they give to their clientele. Because dentists are also health professionals, when they err or breach their obligations, they too can be shown to have committed medical malpractice. While not quite on the same level as cutting off the wrong leg or leaving surgical instruments behind in the body cavity, Dental Malpractice Lawyers can still carry some severe repercussions in the event that it occurs. First, dentists are the first line of defense against cancers of the mouth. Usually before someone notices anything is not right or feels anything, there will be symptoms evident in the mouth that look abnormal. Since dentists practice such an up close and personal relationship with all of the parts of the mouth, they should see things like tumors or pre-tumors in the mouth. As a consequence, a dentist may offer a patient with very early signals or early vigilance or early suspicion of cancer. This can make a world of difference in the treatment needed and how much tumor has to be eliminated from the mouth. It also lessens the chances that the cancer will spread throughout the body. Oral surgeons, who are in addition dentists, are also able to be liable for Dental Malpractice Lawyers. Oral surgeons are slightly more at risk because they are engaged in surgery.It would be tough for an oral surgeon to leave an instrument in the mouth [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-04-20T07:04:02-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

First-time walk raises awareness of oral cancer

Source: indarticles.com Author: staff A support group for people with oral and head and neck cancer is looking to send a message Saturday with its inaugural Oral Cancer Awareness Walk, co-sponsored by the Oral Cancer Foundation. "Last year approximately 35,700 new cases were diagnosed in the United States, and there were about 7,600 deaths," walk organizers said in a news release. "Sixty percent of people aren't diagnosed until the cancer has progressed to Stage III or IV, and almost half of those victims die within five years. But if caught early, oral cancer has one of the highest overall treatment and survival rates." Organizers hope the walk will call attention to the importance of early detection and prevention, not only to the general public but to dentists, who spot problems. Perhaps the highest-profile patient is movie critic Roger Ebert, who has recently detailed his battle with oral cancer. Locally, Jeanna Richelson, an engineer at Siskin Steel, has shared her story. Now cancer-free, she is spearheading the support group, known officially as the Chattanooga Chapter of Support for People With Oral and Head and Neck Cancer. "When I was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2001, I had no idea how my life would be changed forever," she said in the news release. "If I can save one life or keep one person from having to go through the hardships that me and so many others have gone through, it will be worth it." Registration for the walk begins at 10 a.m. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-04-18T10:29:09-07:00April, 2010|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

AACR show report: Dentists balk at cancer screenings

Source: DrBicuspid.com Author: Barbara Boughton SAN DIEGO -- Dentists don't want to spend time screening patients for oral cancer because they're not sure how to do it properly -- or how to make money from it, researchers said at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting here. The researchers, from Simon Fraser University and the British Columbia Oral Cancer Prevention Program in Canada, collected four months of data from pilot cancer screening projects at 10 dental offices in Vancouver, then queried dental staff in focus groups. "The idea was to raise public awareness, and remind dentists and their staff about how easy an oral cancer exam can be," said study author Denise Laronde, a dental hygienist and doctoral candidate at Simon Fraser University. Earlier research has suggested that dentists could save lives with oral cancer screenings. In a British Columbia study, 70 percent of oral cancer patients who had regular dental office visits were diagnosed at an early stage (stage I or II), while only 40 percent of those who did not have regular dental visits were diagnosed at an early stage, the researchers said. Oral cancer screening is a quick and painless procedure, yet fewer than 30 percent of people surveyed report being screened, the researchers added. In the current study, dental personnel were taught to use a novel screening device that uses loss of autofluorescence to identify potential areas of concern in the oral mucosa. Dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants participated in a one-day workshop on [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-05-08T18:40:34-07:00April, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

A fighting partner

Source: RDH Magazine Author: Donna Marie Grzegorek Dentists and hygienists should be teaming up to be the first line of defense against oral cancer. In the United States this year, more than 35,310 new cases of oral and pharyngeal cancer will be diagnosed, with an estimated 7,590 people who will die. Sadly, survival rates for oral cancer have not changed significantly in 40 years, and embarrassingly, dental professionals are alone among health professionals who screen for cancer with their hands and eyes. Under the watchful eye of the dental practitioner, 70% of the lesions found during visual and palpation exams are detected in Stage III and Stage IV, and one–half of those patients (58%) will survive less than five years. It gets worse ... a survey conducted by the American Dental Association revealed that only 15% of patients reported having an oral cancer examination during a routine dental appointment. And noteworthy, failure to diagnose oral cancer is the number two cause of dental malpractice in the United States. Oral cancer claims constitute the most expensive malpractice suits and the most difficult to defend, with awards typically exceeding $1 million. If these statistics are not compelling enough, take note that the face of oral cancer is changing. No longer should we look at the older male patient with a chronic history of tobacco and alcohol abuse as the only high–risk patient. Twenty–seven percent of all new oral cancers are occurring in young adults with no associated risk factors. So I ask [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-03-24T17:48:40-07:00March, 2009|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Government slams Tory claim that dentists overcharge patients

Source: www.dentistry.co.uk Author: staff Dentists are overcharging patients by up to £109 million a year, by calling them back too often and splitting up treatments, according to the Conservatives. Analysis of appointments earlier this year suggested too many healthy patients were being recalled for check up and that treatments were being separated into separate courses, with separate costs. Calculations by the Conservatives suggest that the extra cost paid in patient charges last year was £109 million. The figure is 23% of the £475 million overall that patients pay in dentist charges every year. Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Health Secretary, said: ‘Labour's management of NHS dentistry has been appalling. Not only have millions been left without a dentist, but now we learn that those who do have one are often being charged more money than they should be. ‘The blame here lies with Labour's botched dental contract, which incentives dentists to increase the number of charges to patients and has led to such drastic cuts in the number of people being able to find an NHS dentist. ‘The Government urgently needs to admit that the dental contract has been a monumental failure, get a grip and put an end to these practices immediately. At the moment we're all losing out – those who do have a dentist are paying wrongful charges and those who don't are being blocked from finding one because there aren't enough appointments left.' Asking every Primary Care Trust (PCT) in the country how many patients had been [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-12-23T17:13:57-07:00December, 2008|Oral Cancer News|