Sponsorship Will Focus on Oral Cancer Screening Using VELscope Technology
BURNABY, British Columbia—October 25, 2010—LED Dental announced today a corporatesponsorship agreement with the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), a professional association ofmore than 35,000 general dentists who are dedicated to professional excellence through thepursuit of continuing education (CE). This sponsorship from the maker of the VELscope EnhancedOral Assessment system will provide AGD member dentists with a wide range of CE opportunitiesthat focus on oral cancer and other oral disease screening topics through the end of 2011.According to Peter Whitehead, LED Dental founder and CEO, “We are proud to be associated withthe AGD, whose members are to be commended for their ongoing commitment to providing thebest oral health care possible to their patients.” He noted that oral cancer takes the life of oneNorth American every hour of every day, and that dental practices are the first line of defense indetecting oral cancer and other oral disease in early stages. “Early detection can be the differencebetween life and death,” said Mr. Whitehead. “Dentists who regularly combine conventional oralcancer exams, involving visual inspection and palpation, with the two-minute VELscope examgreatly increase their odds of catching the disease in early and even pre-cancerous stages.”
“The AGD is delighted to forge this partnership with LED Dental to increase our members’knowledge of oral cancer, oral cancer research, and oral cancer screening techniques,” said AGDPresident Fares Elias, DDS, JD, FAGD. “With new cases of oral cancer emerging on a daily basis,the importance of educating oral health care providers who deal with this disease has never beengreater.”
AGD constituents can choose from three CE courses on various oral cancer topics through the endof 2011, with 12 total sessions available. The courses are all half-day lectures, given by well-knownspeakers on oral cancer.
Integrating a 1-2-3 Oral Cancer Screening into Your Office (Lou Graham, DDS): Theresponsibility for oral cancer screening falls on all dental professionals. Participants will discuss whyit’s important to screen for oral cancer and what the risk factors are; why early detection is key;ways in which to enhance visualization for both the hygienist and the dentist; how VELscopetechnology fits into the screening modality; what to do if something looks unusual; when toperform a brush biopsy and when to refer for surgical biopsy; and how to communicate withpatients so they understand the value of the screening and don’t panic if something is unusual.
Dispelling Dysplasia in 2010 (Kevin Huff, DDS, MAGD): This course is designed to simplify theidentification protocols for early oral cancer detection and to review the published technique for aphysical oral screening. Screening, diagnosis, documentation, and patient management are allimportant aspects of this process. This course will enhance the ability of all dental professionalsand staff to deal confidently with these important issues. Hands-on participation workshopactivities include manual and visual head and neck examination techniques; hands-on direct opticalfluorescence visualization techniques using the VELscope system; and interactive case discussions.
Four Steps to Help Save Lives—Dr. Bregman’s Early Oral Cancer Detection for Dentistsand the Dental Team (Jonathon A. Bregman, DDS, FAGD): Today, oral cancer kills one person inthe United States every hour. That’s a shocking statistic, and it’s time for the dental profession tomake a change. Dr. Bregman’s presentation provides participants with a comprehensive and well2structured experience that covers four main topics: the target population; the completeexamination and accurate records; new detection tools; and patient discussions. Effectivecommunication skills are taught in each topic area. The end result is that attendees create theirown to-do list that can be transformed into immediate action.The VELscope system recently was honored by the World Health Organization (WHO) for being aninnovative device that addresses global health concerns. After months of evaluation, WHOidentified VELscope as a device that is likely to be accessible, appropriate, and affordable for use inlow- and middle-income countries. The VELscope device was one of eight commercialized devices,and the only dental device, to be honored by the WHO in this manner.AGD member dentists can find the CE opportunities available in their region by visitingwww.agd.org, clicking on “Education” and selecting “Speaker Information.”
About LED Dental
LED Dental Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of LED Medical Diagnostics Inc., which was founded in2003 and is headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. For more information, call1.888.541.4614, or visit www.VELscope.com.
About the Academy of General Dentistry
The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is a professional association of more than 35,000 generaldentists dedicated to staying up to date in the profession through continuing education to betterserve the public. Founded in 1952, the AGD has grown to become the second-largest dentalassociation in the United States, and it is the only association that exclusively represents the needsand interests of general dentists. More than 772,000 persons in the United States are employeddirectly in the field of dentistry. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of allages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management and overall coordination ofservices related to patients’ oral health needs. For more information about the AGD, please visit www.agd.org.
