Oral Cancer Screening: “It’s More Than Grasping the Tongue”

Susan Cotten BSDH, RDH, OMT

Time constraints, a lack of confidence, production-driven procedures taking precedence, or the belief a patient isn’t at risk, are reported reasons a comprehensive visual and tactile, extraoral, and intraoral evaluation isn’t performed or performed at all. Both dentists and dental hygienists are at varying stages of skill and confidence in this procedure, when a clinician is skilled and confident in performing a procedure, it is more likely to be completed comprehensively and efficiently.
Join oral cancer coach Susan Cotten BSDH, RDH, OMT, to gain more confidence in this critical, life-saving procedure. Susan will utilize her comprehensive screening videos in this course to demonstrate a thorough visual and tactile, extraoral, intraoral evaluation, and discuss provider and patient positioning for optimal visualization and techniques for palpation. Utilizing Susan's training as a Myofunctional Therapist, attendees will learn Mallampati Score and Tonsil Grade and why these are important to evaluate and document as part of this procedure. Attendees will gain an appreciation of why a comprehensive evaluation is essential for all patients.

• • Recognize the components of a comprehensive, visual and tactile, extraoral, and intraoral evaluation
• • Identify Tonsil Grade and Mallampatti Score and why these are important for this evaluation
• • Name anatomical structures assessed in the oropharyngeal evaluation.