Brian,
You raise many interesting issues with respect to oral cancers.
I believe that what is so direly needed at this time is public awareness and general education with respect to oral cancers.
I am a college graduate and professional and I did not know nor I had ever heard of tongue cancer until my family member was diagnosed with SCC oral tongue early this year.
I fully concur with your assessment of the dentistry community in what has been subpar performance in both the carrying out of oral screenings and cancer identification in conjunction with visists for dental exams or other denatl work.
My family member had visited with the same dentist three times within a few months of diagnosis and during each of the visits the dentist failed to detect or identify the tumor.
When the diagnosis was finally made by another medical doctor the cancer was advanced.
I believe that in many cases we may also be the culprits. Because we tend to dismiss conditions in our oral cavity as inconsequential since they may be asymptomatic and we have no knowledge or awareness of these cancers which otherwise would prompt us to act.
Generally, us at large know about breast cancer, colon cancer or lung cancer but whose ever heard of throat cancer or tongue cancer?
If ignorance is a blessing in oral cancers is deadly.