On Monday, April 15, from 4 to 6 p.m., the Lake Michigan College dental assisting program will offer free oral cancer screenings in the dental lab in room C-113 on Napier Avenue campus in recognition of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week. Dr. David Carbonell of University Family Dentistry, Berrien Springs, will be on site that day to assist with the screenings. The screenings are open to the public and no appointment is necessary.

“This is a great way for the College to give back to the community and help educate area residents about a very important health issue,” state Julie Uribe, LMC dental assisting program coordinator.

Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Week (OHANCAW), coordinated by the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance (HNCA) is held April 14 – 20. It is a week dedicated to promoting education, prevention, screening, and early detection of mouth and throat cancers. OHANCAW is highlighted by free screenings held across the country.

About Oral, Head and Neck Cancer (OHNC)

OHNC is a common form of cancer affecting any part of the oral cavity, pharynx, throat, thyroid and larynx (voice box). Approximately 109,000 Americans were diagnosed with a form of OHNC in 2012, resulting in an estimated 13,000 deaths.  When you break down the number diagnosed by region, you have: Oral Cavity and Pharynx (40,250), Larynx (12,360) and Thyroid (56,460).  Regular check-ups can detect the early stages of head and neck cancer or conditions that may lead to it. For those cancers caught at a later stage, treatment is available and may require various combinations of surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy.

About the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance

The Head and Neck Cancer Alliance (HNCA), started in 1984 as the Yul Brynner Head and Neck Cancer Foundation, works to reduce incidence and increase survival through these efforts. Its mission is to advance prevention, detection, treatment and rehabilitation of oral, head and neck cancer through public awareness, research, advocacy, and survivorship.

For information about the screenings to be held at Lake Michigan College, contact Uribe at (269) 927-1000 ext. 5074.