ORAL HEALTH MEANS MORE THAN CLEAN TEETH. SCREENING IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS CLEANING. GET INFORMED ABOUT THE SIX STEPS TO A THOROUGH ORAL CANCER SCREENING AND THE SIGNS/SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE.
For Patients
Are you receiving an oral cancer screening at your dental checkup? Get informed about what it is and what dental professionals look for.
For Dental Professionals
Establish a standard of care in your practice so every patient receives a thorough Six-Step Screening. Diagnosed early, this disease is easily survivable.
The Six-Step Screening
View a photo with a description of the six steps: Click on an arrow, or the purple/gold box, or slide your finger across the image. Self exams are encouraged, too! Get familiar with the inside of your mouth.
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1. Tongue ‘n Gauze
Pull out the tongue with gauze, (it may be a little uncomfortable). Look for any swelling, ulceration or variation in size, color or texture. Gently run your index finger along the lateral borders to feel for any hard tissue. -
2. Lip & Cheek Roll
Roll the tissue of the buccal mucosa (cheeks) and lips between your fingers. Note any firm or nodular areas, texture or color changes. Pull the upper and lower lips out completely. Look all around and get to know what’s normal for you. -
3. Double-Digit Probe
Examine the floor of the mouth and palpate it bimanually with one finger beneath the tongue and another under the chin on the exterior skin. -
4. Palate Tickle
Check to be sure the hard palate is hard and the soft palate is soft. -
5. Neck Caress
Look down and turn head to one side which makes the Sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) stand out. Feel along both sides of the muscle from behind the ear all the way down to the clavicle. -
6. Tonsil Ahhhhhh
Check for asymmetry, ulceration or redness. Any hoarseness, voice changes, difficulty swallowing or one-sided pain?
Rave Reviews For Eva’s Personal Story
“Thank you for a magnificent and motivating presentation at our 15th annual event. Your evaluations were unprecedented – never before has a speaker received 4+++ (beyond excellent)! Several said your program was the ‘best ever.’ With 350 in attendance, you could hear a pin drop; you commanded that level of interest.”
Daryl Beckman, RDH DiCesare & DiCesare Periodontal Health Specialists Red Bank, NJ
“Eva’s keynote presentation was an amazing way to start our conference. Moving, powerful, inspirational!”
Christine Wood, RDH Executive Director, Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors Sparks, NV
“Your presentation was the best and most impactful course I took at Hinman. After 2 hours with you, I realized there was something I was missing…the human element. The perspective from an oral cancer survivor was something I never heard before. You are a crusader and exactly what the dental profession needs as a whole.”
Christopher E. Roberts, DDS Brushy Mountain Dental N. Wilkesboro, NC
Six-Step Salute
Dental professionals who have saved a life by catching oral cancer early
Endorsement
Dental professionals endorse the Six-Step Screening as a useful tool.