NOCR and other public health agencies involved with oral cancer, dental professionals
and communities of all racial and ethnic groups need to become partners in a national
effort to
- Improve early detection of cancer through routine oral screening
-
Implement evidence-based community intervention to increase screening and modify
risk behaviors.
-
Develop research projects that will encourage community to participate in clinical
trials for oral cancer prevention.
-
Undertake research that will inform decisions about interventions to reduce oral
cancer disparities and improve health. There is a growing need for interventions
that are available to people regardless of socioeconomic status or lifestyle behaviors
that also addresses the social environment.
-
Use a variety of media and channels to market oral cancer information to diverse
populations in a variety of settings.
Access to quality oral cancer care needs to be expanded to ensure that everybody
is provided the same care and access to state-of-the-art technology that patients
in major care centers receive.
Fear of oral cancer, perceived cost of care, and lack of dental referral are common
barriers to oral cancer screening and other preventive services. Dental professionals
play a critical role in recommending and increasing use of preventive services.
