Today, the Six-Step Salute goes to Jill Meyer-Lippert, RDH (Shoreline-Legacy Dental in Wisconsin) for catching thyroid cancer in a thorough extra oral screening on her patient Irene. Here is what they both dental professional and patient have to say:
From Jill Meyer-Lippert, RDH: “I have had too many occasions of seeing something under an auto-fluorescence light that I would have surely missed without it. I’m a true believer in its value, used in addition to white light and tactile exams – but definitely not a replacement. I appreciate being recognized for providing thorough oral cancer screenings for each and every one of my patients, but frankly it is the standard of care and what’s expected in my job.”
From her patient Irene: “Jill showed me the abnormality she felt and recommended I follow up with my physician. My first surgery reported a benign nodule. After further evaluation, it was determined to be malignant, requiring a second surgery. There is no evidence of metastasis so no chemo or RT is necessary. Several people involved in my medical care expressed confusion how or why this abnormality was first detected by a dental professional. I proudly spread the word about the importance of the head and neck exam at dental visits.”
If you know a dental professional who deserves a Six-Step Salute, let us know!
Comments 2
Thank you for the great honor, Eva! I hope all dental professionals take the time to perform a thorough exam for abnormalities for each patient at each recall visit.
I am sending this to MY dental practice!