2.  There are over 38,000 new cases of oral
cancer diagnosed each year.
 Oral cancer kills approx. 9,000 people
each year in the U.S.
 It has a low survival rate.
 Lives can and must be saved by
performing this simple exam.

3.  5-15% of all dental patients have oral
abnormalities.
 The vast majority of these are truly
benign.
 Detecting those that are precancerous is
the key to improving survival of oral
cancer patients.

4.  Screen each patient at every
appointment to detect lesions that may
be pathologic.
 Identify suspect lesions that require
additional testing and referral.
 Prevent advanced or irreversible disease
by recognition.

5.  The complete examination should include
both inspection and digital palpation of
extra and intra oral structures.
 Oral tissues are an indicator of your patients
overall health
 Abnormal conditions can be recognized if
the appearance of normal oral structures is
known.
 The color and size of structures may vary
with genetic patterns and age.

6.  Lips
 Lateral surface of tongue
 Retromolar pads
 Buccal mucosa
 Floor of mouth
 Hard & soft palate
 Gingiva

8.  White areas: Vary from filmy, barely
visible change in the mucosa to a
heavy, thick, heaped up area of dry
white keratinized tissue.
 Leukoplakia: White patch that can not
be scraped off. Found on lips, tongue,
and lining of the mouth.
 Red areas: Lesions of red, velvety
consistency, sometimes with small ulcers.

9.  Erthtoplakia: Used to designate lesions that
appear as red patches that can’t be
characterized as any specific disease.
 Ulcers: They may have flat or raised
margins. Palpation may reveal induration.
 Masses: elevations above the surrounding
tissues, or below mucosa found by
palpation.
 Pigmentation: black or brown pigmented
areas maybe located on mucosa where
pigmentation doesn’t normally occur.

10.  Localized: lesion is limited to a small focal
area.
 Generalized: involves most of an area of
section of the mouth.
 Single: one lesion of a particular type with a
distinct margin.
 Multiple lesions: more than one lesion of a
particular type.
› Separate- discrete, not running together.
› Coalescing- close to each other with margins
that merge.

11.  A- anatomic location (i.e. left buccal
mucosa adjacent to #14)
 B- boarder (i.e. well demarcated)
 C- color & configuration (i.e. red, linear)
 D- diameter & dimensions (i.e. 4mm x
2mm x 1mm in height)
 T- type (i.e. macule)

12.  Explain procedure to patient( what
youre doing and why)
 Remove all removable prostheses.
 Use visual inspection and palpation
technique with optimal lighting
 Use mirror and retractors when
necessary.

13.  Visually inspect the entire oral cavity and
oropharynx.
 Use the dental light and mirror to look for
any conditions (i.e. herpetic lesion)

14.  Examine the patient at each
appointment.
 Ensure a thorough health history.
 Educate on behaviors that increase risk
of oral cancer.
 Identify and document suspicious lesions.
 Refer to obtain a definitive diagnosis.
 Follow up to make sure diagnosis was
made.

15.  Bifid uvula
 Fordyce granules
 Ankyloglossia
 Fissured tongue
 Geographic tongue
 Mandibular torus
 Buccal exostoses
 Palatinus torus
 Linea alba