AGD Foundation to Host Free Oral Cancer Screenings in Detroit

CHICAGO, June 23, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) volunteer dentists will provide free oral cancer screenings for the public during the AGD 2014 Annual Meeting & Exhibits in Detroit.

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, more than 43,000 new cases of oral cancer will be diagnosed in 2014, resulting in more than 8,000 deaths—that's about one person every hour. To help bring attention to this deadly disease, the AGD Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the AGD, will host oral cancer screenings during the annual meeting. The organization hopes to screen about 400 meeting attendees and members of the public.

"More than 50 dentists will be available to provide these quick and painless examinations," says AGD President Linda J. Edgar, DDS, MEd, MAGD. "Doctors will feel for lumps or irregular tissue changes in the neck, throat, cheeks, and mouth, and look for any sores or discoloration."

The free screenings will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. on Friday, June 27, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 28, at the Cobo Center on the Concourse Level. The public should enter the convention center from Washington Boulevard.

According to Dr. Edgar, the first step in fighting oral cancer is early detection, which includes semiannual visits to your general dentist, who can identify early signs and symptoms of oral cancer. "General dentists are the first line of defense against oral cancer, and early detection is key to increasing survival rates," she says. "We're asking community members to spare a few minutes of their day to stop by the Cobo Center for an oral health evaluation. Those few minutes could save your life."

To learn more about oral cancer and many other oral health topics, visit KnowYourTeeth.com.

About the Academy of General Dentistry
The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is a professional association of 38,000 general dentists dedicated to providing quality dental care and oral health education to the public. AGD members stay up-to-date in their profession through a commitment to continuing education. Founded in 1952, the AGD is the second largest dental association in the United States, and it is the only association that exclusively serves the needs and represents the interests of general dentists. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management, and overall coordination of services related to patients' oral health needs. For more information about the AGD, visit www.agd.org. The AGD is a member of the Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives, a first-of-its-kind national dental coalition composed of 37 leading dental health organizations. The Partnership's campaign is designed to educate parents and caregivers on how to improve their children's oral health in simple ways. The campaign offers families oral health resources through the website 2min2x.org.

SOURCE Academy of General Dentistry