Did you know that dentists are in the front lines of oral cancer detection? They often spot early changes in their patients' oral tissues that could indicate cancer.

More than 30,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer in the U.S. each year, and 8,000 die from this disease annually. The greatest hope in cancer prevention and cure lies in early detection, which improves a patients' chances of survival markedly.

Dentists receive training in the detection of cancerous lesions in dental school. Seeing a patient on a regular basis allows them to spot changes early. Dentists can easily tell which of their patients are smokers, and often see oral problems that are a direct result of smoking.

A high percentage of oral cancer patients share common characteristics. Twice as many men as women are diagnosed with oral cancer, and most are 50 and older. Oral cancer is directly linked to tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption can promote malignancy.