Tracey -
My husband has had oral lichen planus for decades. We don't know the origin of it, because he never smoked. I do want to congratulate you on quitting smoking - that is a huge and positive first step! Since 2002, some of his lichen planus and/or leukoplakia has turned to small cancers, which luckily, were caught in time. He has had several surgeries to remove the cancers, all with clean margins. He did have a biopsy earlier this year on his lip, which showed dysplasia (abnormal cells, as Bailey mentioned). It is good that your dentist will be constantly monitoring you, but you also need to see specialists in oral cancer, like an ENT. NEVER feel "like a fool" for seeing an oncologist - YOUR health comes first and is more important than going to a specialist and finding out you are fine after all. We always recommend CCCs in here (comprehensive cancer centers, I think that stands for?) and I am sure there are a few in North Carolina. You can do a lot of reading on oral lichen planus on this site, as Colleen suggested. Just do a "search" on "lichen planus" right here on the OCF site - you will have plenty of your questions answered by those who have "been there". Keep checking in and good luck. Warmly, JaneP