Dear Friends,

The article I wrote last year about the importance of "Early Detection" has now been published for the third time. The latest magazine to pick it up, was my state dental journal. The Pennsylvania Dental Association Journal reaches 6,000 plus dentists and many other health care providers in the surrounding area.

As a result of this article being published, I have been asked to setup and run an Oral Cancer Screening booth at an upcoming Valley Forge Dental Convention, to be held in March of 2008. We will get the ball rolling at this year's meeting, on March 2nd.

I am excited that I have been asked to do this and hope that it will stimulate some of my colleagues to get their acts together and provide thorough screenings for their patients.

In order to increase the awareness of the importance of "Early Detection", my office manager and I decided to offer our community free oral cancer screenings during the month of January. Since all of our patients already receive free screenings at their intial appointments and all subsequent checkups, we have included a notice in our office's email newsletter, in the hope that our patients will tell their relatives and friends about this chance to be checked.

I would like to wish all of you a very Happy and Safe New Year.

Jerry

Your efforts and your experience, Jerry, will help so many people. You should feel really good about that. Amy

Jerry, would you send me, either here or in an email, what you include in your public early detection screening, and how you plan to organize it? I want to help organize such a public screening in my town. Thanks.

If/when you find a suspicious area in this screening, to whom do you plan to refer the patients?

Congratulations on the third printing of your article. You are doing great good. I am proud of you for turning your personal misfortune into significant good for others.

Jerry - Congratulations on putting your vast experience into print a third time AND for bringing your expertise to the 2008 dental convention. Your power to awaken the sensitivities of dentists who are not yet fully aware of this disease will prove invaluable to many more patients. Happy and Healthy new year (and the year after!) to you, Jerry.
Warmly , JaneP

First of all, thanks to all for your kind words.

August, as far as the screening last year, it was done at the ACS Relay For Life and they provided a table and tent for us. OCF provided two great banners, which Brian sent to us to use. If you would like, I can email you some pohotos from that day.

We had a portable dental chair which made the examinations easy to do. We used "cyclops" head lights. I've been to an event where directors chairs were used, but they are difficult. I supplied the gloves, gauze pads, tongue depressors, mirrors etc. needed to do the exams.

The screenings were done by two of the hygienists and by me and one of the other dentists in my practice.

We had numerous brochures about oral cancer, many of which were provided by OCF. There also was a release form that everyone had to sign before being examined. Brian also provided the copy for this.

As far as referring was concerned, the plan was to have the patients see their regular dentist if they had one and get a referral to an ENT or Oral Surgeon. We did not want to step on anyones toes in this area. If the patient asked or didn't have a dentist, we would refer to either our oral surgeon or to the ENT that I use.

We did not find any suspicious areas, but the turnout was very small due the the incessant rain that day.

We are already in the planning stages for the next Relay this coming June.

If you click on this link http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/gallery/index.html you can see photos from last year's NYC Walk. The first picture is of three OCF members: Left to right, Sheldon Sax, Barbara Boland and Yours Truly. #46 is the three of us again with my wife, Marilyn. Other pictures show some from the screening area.

Hope this helps. Let me know if there is anything else you need.

Jerry

Jerry, You are a wonderful spokespereson for this disease and a gentleman to boot. Your consideration for others shows on every single one of your posts. I enjoy your participation very much and continue your great work and attitude.
Thanks, Mark D.

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the kudos.

Glad to see you are having some fun over in the "Sex and Kissing" Forum.

Jerry