April 2023 – inspiredhygiene

Don’t Let it End

Posted on April 26, 2023April 26, 2023

As April comes to a close, please don’t let Oral Cancer Awareness end. As dental professionals, we are on the front lines and we must be diligent and consistent in our screening efforts.

As a dentist or hygienist, you’re not expected to ‘diagnose’ oral cancer. However, your work is critical to early detection.

Please screen and identify possible pathology
Please refer to the appropriate provider for definitive diagnosis
Please document in detail what your screening reveals and your referrals
Please check in with patients after referrals to be sure they follow through

Here’s a very thorough review of the head and neck screening. While every provider may do this a little differently, screening consistently is key.

What happened to your neck?

Posted on April 20, 2023April 20, 2023

If you’ve read our emails this month you know our focus this month is on oral cancer screenings for YOU and YOUR TEAM.

In this video, I share my own personal experience with head and neck pathologies and how we can’t rely on patients to tell us there’s something abnormal.

Eva Grayzel, oral cancer survivor has created a simple, effective method for screening and patient communication resources. Check out digital images and appointment cards to show your patients you’re committed to early cancer detection. www.sixstepscreening.org

Are you missing this critical piece?

Posted on April 12, 2023April 12, 2023

Often when we ask dentists and hygienists if they regularly perform an oral cancer screening they say emphatically, ‘Well, of course I do!’

Then, when we ask if that includes an extraoral head and neck screening, the answer is quite different. We’re all human and with the hectic schedule of a dental office, things do get missed occasionally. What we find, however, is that the head and neck screening is rarely a consistent piece of the dental hygiene exam.

I urge you to read this vulnerable and impactful article by one of our Lead Coaches, Kathryn Gilliam that outlines The Dental Professional’s Role in Head and Neck Cancer.

Click the image below to access the article.

Are you interested in learning how Inspired Hygiene can help your dental practice? Use this link to schedule your Hygiene Opportunity Assessment.

Your Team’s Life May Depend on It

Posted on April 4, 2023April 20, 2023

You know what April is…Oral Cancer Awareness Month. Oral cancer statistics are staggering:

One person dies of oral cancer every hour of every day
Early detection can result in 80-90% survival rate
Only 43% survive when the disease is detected at a later stage

YOU are on the front lines of early detection and you never know…it might be a team members’ life you save.

Join us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for the #IHTeamScreen Challenge. Show your colleagues, co-workers and community you’re serious about early detection.