A quick, painless screening is part of your regular exam. Finding changes early makes oral cancer far more treatable.
Oral Cancer Screening
Oral cancer can develop on the lips, tongue, cheeks, gums and throat, and early signs are easy to miss on your own. Because we see you regularly, we’re in a great position to notice changes.
During your exam, your dentist looks and feels for unusual spots, sores, lumps or patches in your mouth, jaw and neck. If anything looks concerning, we’ll monitor it closely or refer you for further evaluation.
What to expect
We examine the soft tissues of your mouth, tongue and throat.
We gently check your jaw and neck for lumps or swelling.
We’ll explain anything we notice and what it may mean.
If needed, we monitor the area or coordinate a referral.
Questions
Everyone. Risk is higher with tobacco use, heavy alcohol use, HPV and sun exposure to the lips, but oral cancer can affect anyone.
A sore that doesn’t heal within two weeks, red or white patches, a lump, persistent hoarseness, or trouble swallowing. Call us if you notice any of these.
No. Screening is routine for every patient — it’s simply part of a thorough exam.
Related care
Family Dentistry
A thorough, gentle cleaning removes the plaque and tartar brushing can’t reach —
Learn more →Family Dentistry
Gum disease is common, often painless, and treatable.
Learn more →Family Dentistry
We always try to save your natural teeth.
Learn more →Oral Cancer Screening
Request an appointment or give us a call — we’ll find a time that works for you.