ROSEBURG, Oregon – April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month. To call attention to one of the few cancers actually on the rise, the Dental Assisting program at Umpqua Community College (UCC) and local dentist Dr. Alexis Atchinson are teaming up to offer free oral cancer screenings.

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, oral cancer will cause more than 9,750 deaths this year in the United States, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day. The death rate with this type of cancer is high because it’s typically found late in its development. The cancer has also been linked to the human papilloma virus commonly known as HPV-a common, sexually transmitted virus that infects about 40 million Americans.

It used to be the belief that older people who smoked or used tobacco products had the greatest risk of developing oral cancer,” Tamara Loosli, UCC’s Dental Assisting Program Chair, said. But we are seeing a new segment of our population being affected. There is a disturbing increase in the number of young adults who are developing this type of cancer. Undetected and unchecked, it has devastating consequences. Awareness is a powerful tool.

The cost-free event, which is open to the public, takes place on Friday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the state-of-the-art dental facility in the Bonnie J. Ford Health, Nursing and Science Center on the main UCC campus. UCC’s dental assisting students and staff will be facilitating the event while Dr. Atchinson performs the screenings. No appointments are necessary. The entire process, minus any waiting time, should take no longer than 10 minutes.

About Umpqua Community College

Nestled in the beautiful North Umpqua River Valley, Umpqua Community College is the regional center for higher education in Douglas County, Oregon. UCC provides high quality college degree programs, workforce development, and community learning opportunities.

Contact

Tamara Loosli – Contact
Dental Assisting Program Chair
Phone: 541-440-4710