Hi all,

I want to respond to the comments about dentists being reimbursed for doing cancer screenings. I don't think that this really is an issue and the reason why it isn't done in so many cases. The reason, in my opinion, is LACK OF EDUCATION".

If a dentist or hygienist is doing a thorough examination, he/she should be including an oral cancer screening as part of that comprehensive exam. There need not be a separate fee for it. The fees for most of the procedures we do are based upon the time we spend doing it. So if one knows how do to a screening, you do it and then charge accordingly for your time.

Procedures such as brush biopsies or scalpel biopsies are submitted for payment to insurance companies for patient reimbursement.

Again, I really don't think geting paid is the problem. I think it is very admirable that so many members here have approached the dentists, ENT's, etc that have blown them off and tried to get them to change their practices based upon their missed diagnosis. I know that I would find that a very difficult thing to do had I been in that position. Anger is a hard thing to overcome.

An interesting story came to my attention just 2 days ago when I received an email from a retired colleague of mine who moved to a new area and started seeing a dentist in that location. The main thing that struck him was the lack of oral cancer screenigs in that office. He has been working with the hygienists in the practice to get them to do screenings and when he read my article, he wrote to ask if it was OK to share it with them and the dentist. Of course I agreed as that was the purpose of putting it in the journal to begin with.

As an aside, you have to realize that it is a possibility that a dentist can practice his/her entire career and never see an oral cancer. I've been looking for over 35 years and mine was only the third one that I've seen!

Jerry