Oral Cancer Screening

Oral cancer screenings are another part of routine dental exams and
are an important way to maintain your overall well-being, as they can
allow for the early detection of harmful changes in your mouth. Dr.
Anna and her team utilize the latest techniques and
in performing regular oral cancer screenings and detecting any
suspicious signs. We understand that our patients often see their
dental care providers more often than their medical practitioners,
which affords us the opportunity to not only help you maintain a
healthy mouth, but also to remain vigilant of changes to your health
and to facilitate the appropriate referral.

We utilize the advanced VELscope® Vx Oral Cancer Screening technology.
VELscope can help to identify potentially cancerous areas that can sometimes
be missed in routine exams. Using a blue light to activate the natural
fluorescence present in oral soft tissues, VELscope helps our dental
professionals to see disease that is not visible to the naked eye. This
invaluable tool can make it possible to locate dangerous growths in
the early stages, and early detection is crucial to increase the
chances of successful treatment. The entire screening typically lasts
about two minutes and is completely painless.

Risks of developing oral cancer are much higher if you use tobacco
products or consume alcohol. The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
is also being found in more and more cases of oral cancer. It’s very
important to have oral cancer screenings at least once each year,
and twice per year for those who may be at a higher risk.