Hi Minnie,
I am sure that the insurance companies have something to say about it and there are also practice guidelines from the NCCN about the intervals for follow-up visits. I am sure that staging, location, type of cancer and/or Tx and response to Tx play a role also. I mention these because all of our experiences will differ slightly.

In the first 6 months I was seeing the oncologist, radiation oncologist and head and neck surgeon every 6 weeks and the dentist/hygenist every 3 months for cleaning.

Currently at 250+ days post Tx, I am seeing the radiation oncologist every 6 months, the oncologist every 3 months and the head and neck surgeon every 2 months. I was informed that the head and neck surgeon would be the PCP (Primary Care Physician) and he would be seeing me every 2 months the first year.

Post Tx I have been scoped once (by the radiation oncologist -just last week, had 2 MRI's and a chest x-ray. The head & neck surgeon has done extensive visualization with mirrors and palpation, the last time, anesthetizing my throat to palpate the back of my tongue. He only scoped me on the first visit (so far). They also palpate the exterior part of my neck, I suspect, for swollen lymph nodes.

Like Glenn I kept all of my teeth also and will see the dentist/hygenist every 3 months for the rest of my life. I use a water pik, floss and do in home flouride treatments. I still have dry mouth to some degree but I am also getting some salivary function back, which was expected, because I had IMRT.

I am taking a break from lab work at the moment - I have had enough needles stuck in me to last a lifetime thank you very much.

And like the others, there is a balance between the anxiety of the (pre) visits and the comfort of a good exam outcome. The anxiety has diminished to the hours preceding the exam and is not a big deal now.