Herald Express (Torquay) December 8, 2011

A DENTAL practice with large NHS contracts has been helping raise awareness of mouth cancer. Harbourway Dental in Brixham took part in Mouth Cancer Action Month to encourage patients to go for a screening. Dr Grahame Mason and Dr Nicholas Shearman, the two partners at the five-staff New Road practice said the number of cases of oral cancer in the UK had increased significantly with more than 5,300 new cases diagnosed every year with the majority of cases happening in people aged over 50.

Dr Mason said: “Shockingly the disease now kills more people than cervical cancer and testicular cancer combined.”

The main risk factors of oral cancer include smoking and drinking alcohol.

He added: “Early detection is critical as it can improve chances of survival from 50 percent to 90 percent.

“Dental surgeons are trained carefully to recognise any worrying symptoms, so visiting your own dentist regularly is really important for more than just dental care.”

The British Dental Health Foundation estimate that over the next 10 years around 60,000 people in the UK will be diagnosed with the disease and without early detection an estimated 30,000 people will die. Meanwhile, the dental practice has been expanding as more patients sign up for dental care.

The business won an NHS contract early this year initially to encourage care for members of the community who are harder to reach such as the elderly, disabled and those unaware of the availability of NHS care on their doorstep.

However, the practice has seen expansion in its NHS patient list and advanced private treatment that the practice has been offering for many years.

Dr Mason added: “Much of the expansion of NHS dental services around the country has been through the huge corporate providers so we are very proud, as a committed local practice, to be recognised by Torbay Care Trust as an excellent and appropriate provider. “We see this as a new and exciting era for the practice where we can offer a broader range of services.”

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