Oral Cancer Screenings
As part of your regular checkups, we offer VELscope oral cancer screening. This procedure involves a simple process of shining a light in your mouth. Healthy tissue will glow in response to the light. Areas that don’t glow are areas of concern and should be investigated further. The procedure only takes a couple minutes and can detect potential cancers very early, which can be a lifesaver.
To schedule an oral cancer screening as part of a regular checkup in Greeley, please call (970) 353-4329 today for an appointment at Greeley Dental Health.
How long does a cancer screening take?
VELscope is the quickest, most convenient oral cancer screening. It takes about two minutes to complete.
Do I have to swish with a dye or rinse for the screening?
No. VELscope works with just light, so there’s no dyes, rinses, or other nuisances. Just open your mouth and we’ll shine the light in.
Why should I have an oral cancer screening?
Early discovery improves your chances of survival. If cancer is discovered when it’s only local, the survival rate may be over 90%, but once it’s spread, the survival rate may drop to 20%, depending on the type of cancer.
How accurate is VELscope?
Studies show that this type of cancer screening detects about 90% of oral cancers, and has a relatively small number of false positives.
Who is at risk for oral cancer?
Everyone is potentially at risk for oral cancer. However, those with the highest levels of risk are men, smokers, people over the age of 55, and those who drink alcohol to excess. However, recent diagnostic trends show increases in people not traditionally thought to be at elevated risk. This includes people under age 30. A full 25% of people who develop oral cancer have no identifiable risk factors.