• When oral cancer is discovered in early stages, the survival rate is very high
• But when discovered late (which is normally the case), the survival rate is very low.
• Oral cancer has 3 times as many victims as cervical cancer
• One North American dies of oral cancer every hour of every day
• The incidence of oral cancer is growing
• The biggest growth in oral cancer is among young smokers, and oral cancer is now linked to HPV
• Health experts recommend that all adults receive annual oral cancer screenings

Because of this risk to your health, Berrien Dental has recently invested in a state-of-the-art VELscope system.  As part of our conventional oral cancer examination, it can literally help us discover potentially dangerous tissue that we might otherwise miss.  Of course, the odds are that we won’t find anything that concerns us.  But if we do, the VELscope device will increase our odds of finding it early rather than late.

An oral cancer examination with a VELscope screening takes very little time, involves no pain or inconvenience, and is very affordable.

Finding any form of cancer in its earliest stages is important, but it is commonly more difficult to find oral cancer early. The VELscope system is designed to catch the earliest signs of oral cancer. This is important because oral cancer is the sixth most common form of cancer diagnosed in America today.

Oral cancer appears as white, red, or white and red patches. However, when these patches are seen by the naked eye, it typically means the cancer is already in an advanced stage. Using a more advanced technique, such as the VELscope system, helps catch the cancer sooner and in its most treatable stage.

The VELscope system allows Dr. Christy and Dr. Balsis to find oral cancer earlier and easier with advanced technology. The system uses a powerful blue light to increase the user’s ability to see lesions, cancerous, and precancerous cells typically invisible to the naked eye. The light allows the doctors to distinguish between normal and abnormal cells with a higher rate of accuracy. The results are documented using pictures and can be stored digitally. The system also allows for better removal of all diseased tissue.

Screening with this hand-held device is a non-invasive procedure for the patient and only takes a minute or two. This small amount of time can lead to an early diagnoses or increase the confidence that the patient is cancer-free. It will give you peace of mind every time we tell you that your mouth is in perfect health.