Back in March, ProHEALTH Dental offered free oral cancer screenings at our office in Lake Success, NY, as part of our World Oral Health Day Health Fair. We provided more than 60 screenings using the latest technology from Identafi, and a significant number of those screened had suspicious findings and were referred to our specialists for further evaluation.
For April’s Oral Cancer Awareness Month, ProHEALTH Dental has been focusing on educating our patients about oral cancer facts and offering more oral cancer screenings to the community this April and May. We view this as a vital service to protect the lives and health of our patients and the communities that we serve.
Did You Know?
According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, less than 15% to 25% of those who regularly visit their dentist receive an oral cancer screening, and 132 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer each day. Men are twice as likely to develop oral cancer as women.
Although most cases are seen in those patients older than 40 years old, more cases are being seen among younger people, probably due to the links between oral cancer and tobacco/alcohol consumption, as well as the human papillomavirus. The good news is that there is an 80% to 90% survival rate when detected early.
As part of ProHEALTH Dental’s ongoing commitment to educating patients about good oral health as part of overall health and wellness, we will continue to spread the facts about oral cancer and include oral cancer exams as part of our routine checkups.
Dr. Karnofsky has more than 30 years of experience in periodontics and implant surgery. He graduated from Syracuse University and received his dental degree at the New York University College of Dentistry. He then received his Periodontics Certificate at the New York University College of Dentistry in 1986. He is also a member of the 1st District Dental Society, ADA, American Academy of Periodontology, North Eastern Society of Periodontists, Academy of Osseointegration, and International Congress of Oral Implantology, as well as a founder of the New York Dental Forum. He can be reached at NKarnofsky@prohealthcaredental.com.
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