To my fellow members: As we mark Oral Cancer Awareness Month this April, let’s discuss an issue that has personal significance to me. I have been a practicing dentist for nearly four decades and received the surprise of my life four years ago when I was diagnosed with oral cancer that had metastasized to a cervical lymph node.… Read More »
The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 51,540 new cases of oral and oropharyngeal cancer this year and 10,030 deaths from the disease. The ADA is putting a spotlight on this disease in a number of ways, most notably by collaborating with The National HPV Vaccination Roundtable, an organization established by the American Cancer Society and… Read More »
Dr. Elizabeth Kapral faces what she calls “complex situations” almost daily. The department she works in at the Erie County Medical Center campus in Buffalo, New York, serves patients with complicated medical conditions and cancer. More specifically, about half of her patients with cancer have head and neck cancer, she said. April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month and… Read More »
When it comes to the early detection of eating disorders, dentists are in a unique position for spotting the early warning signs and referring patients to the proper behavioral health professionals. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, more than 10 million Americans currently are affected by serious eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating. These… Read More »
It wasn’t supposed to be this big. Earlier this decade, ADA member dentist Dr. Gina Mancini of Jacksonville, North Carolina, was invited to teach children at her own kids’ school about the importance of oral health. With a creative mind and a desire to avoid convention, Dr. Mancini developed a play for the students. After receiving positive feedback… Read More »
Does your neck hurt? Your back? You’re not alone. The ADA Council on Dental Practice’s Dental Wellness Advisory Committee conducted a 2015 survey to study the well-being of dentists. Poor ergonomics emerged as a major issue, according to ADA News. Two-thirds of the respondents reported that they suffered from neck pain and nearly half of them said that… Read More »