Partnership Between Aspen Dental And The Oral Cancer Foundation Raises Oral Cancer Awareness And Funds For Continued Research

More than 2,400 Advanced Oral Cancer Screenings Conducted at Aspen Dental Practices During Oral Cancer Awareness Month

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May 29, 2014, 02:26 ET

SYRACUSE, N.Y., May 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspen Dental, one of the largest and fastest-growing networks of dental care providers in the U.S., conducted 2,420 ViziLite® oral cancer screenings at Aspen Dental locations during the month of April, resulting in a $12,100 donation to The Oral Cancer Foundation. The program, which included a $5 donation for each ViziLite® screening conducted, was run throughout the Aspen Dental network, which includes more than 450 practices across 27 states.

Since 2010, Aspen Dental has donated more than $63,000 to The Oral Cancer Foundation.

"Each year, oral cancer kills more people in the U.S. than other more widely known forms of cancer, including skin, lymphatic, thyroid, and cervical cancers," said Jamie O'Day, Director of Operations for The Oral Cancer Foundation. "The funds raised through Aspen Dental's oral cancer screening campaign in April are imperative to help OCF continue to sponsor research, provide patient support, education, and early detection initiatives which are all related to our mission. We are proud to be associated with an organization that makes oral cancer screenings a priority in their practices."

According to The Oral Cancer Foundation, approximately 43,250 people in the US will be newly diagnosed with oral cancer in 2014. This is the eighth year in a row in which there has been an increase in the rate of occurrence of oral cancers, in 2007 there was a major jump of over 11% in that single year. ViziLite® Plus is a specially designed light technology that can help detect cancerous cells.

"Unfortunately many patients are not familiar with the risk factors or symptoms that serve as warning signs of oral cancer," said Dr. Thomas Nguyen lead dentist at the Aspen Dental office in Tucson, AZ. "In April, we met with many patients who were previously unaware of traditional oral cancer screenings, but were eager to have them done and learn more about the risk factors associated with oral cancer. We hope that our efforts this month helped to educate about the importance of detecting the cancer early on, when it is most treatable."

To learn more about what to expect during an oral cancer screening, please visit the Oral Cancer Foundation website at http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/dental/how_do_you_know.html.

About Aspen Dental
Aspen Dental is one of the largest and fastest-growing networks of independent dental care providers in the U.S. with more than 450 practices in communities across 27 states. As part of its mission to provide America with a healthy mouth, Aspen Dental is providing millions of Americans with access to quality, affordable dental care. Every Aspen Dental-branded practice offers a full range of dental and denture services – including comprehensive exams, cleanings, extractions, fillings, periodontal treatment, whitening, oral surgery, crown and bridge work.

In 2013, Aspen Dental-branded practices recorded nearly 2.9 million patient visits and welcomed more than 600,000 new patients. The dentists and staff at Aspen Dental-branded practices have a deep commitment to patient satisfaction, and every Aspen Dental location is accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

Aspen Dental practices are supported by Aspen Dental Management, Inc., a dental support organization that provides non-clinical business support to licensed, independent dentists.

To learn more about Aspen Dental practices and services, preview the Aspen Dental patient experience, get answers to general treatment questions, find a location, and schedule appointments, visit www.aspendental.com. To learn more about careers at Aspen Dental, visit http://aspendentaljobs.com.

SOURCE Aspen Dental