PITTSTON, PA — Leaders in the dental community are uniting against the sixth-leading form of cancer with a potent combination: education and awareness.
During the 91st annual Greater New York Dental Meeting (GNYDM), the event’s organizers will host the first International Oral Cancer Symposium on Saturday, November 28, for all registered GNYDM attendees. Members of the dental community, including the Benco Family Foundation, are among the sponsors of the all-day event, entitled “The Science and Practice of Treating Head and Neck Cancer,” which will provide a comprehensive overview of the current surgical and medical management of oral and oropharyngeal cancer patients.
“The Benco Family Foundation feels the Oral Cancer Symposium is important to raise public awareness and educate our doctors to identify and diagnose the early signs of mouth cancer and then guide patients to proper treatment,” said Rebecca Binder, the foundation’s Executive Director.
Diagnostic criteria, rehabilitative medicine, and guidelines for oral cancer management will be discussed by leading experts in Otolaryngology, Pathology, Craniofacial Surgery, Oncology, and Maxillofacial Prosthetics. According to Ian M. Lerner, DDS, General Chairman of the GNYDM, “Despite recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer, it still remains the sixth-leading form of cancer. We hope this international symposium will help dental professionals connect the dots between the latest research and what they can be implementing in their day-to-day practice to reduce the morality rates of this deadly disease.”
The symposium will:
· Discuss the guidelines for oral cancer management and the role of community dentists and otolaryngologists in the management regimen
· Explain the diagnostic criteria of potentially malignant and malignant oral lesions and understand how to apply the criteria to standard of care in community practice
· Describe the rehabilitation concerns of oral cancer patients and understand the role of rehabilitative medicine
· Discuss how community dentists and otolaryngologists can partner with cancer specialists in the overall care of oral cancer patients
The International Oral Cancer Symposium has assembled a roster of oral cancer experts from the fields of medicine and dentistry. Here is the list of presenters and their topics:
· Sewanti Limaye, MD / “Personalized Medicine & Genonics and Head & Neck Cancer”
· Alexander E. Pazoki, DDS, MD / “Changes in Trends & Management of Oral Cavity and Orapharyngeal Cancer
· Jack L. Martin, BA, MD / “Clinical Application of Salivary Markers for the Early Detection of OSCC”
· Salvatore M. Caruana, MD / “Head & Neck Surgical Oncology”
· M. Abraham Kuriakose, MD, DDS / “Implant Borne Dental Rehabilitation”
· Candice Zemnick, DMD / “Prosthetic Reconstruction: Intraoral and Extraoral”
· Billy Ballard, MD, DDS / “Debunking the Myth of Oral Lesions”
The International Oral Cancer Symposium will take place on Saturday, November 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. and provides 7 CEUs. Cost to attend is $175.00, with lunch included. For full details and online registration, visit https://www.gnydm.com/uploads/files/2015-Program-Pages_22-Swk.pdf
Event sponsors include PeriRX, LLC and the Benco Family foundation, along with Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Meharry Medical College Department of Pathology, Hispanic Dental Association, and the National Dental Association.
“The Benco Family Foundation is dedicated to improving the dental health and quality of life in our local communities, and around the world," Binder said. "Partnering with the Oral Cancer Symposium experts will give doctors the resources they need to help eradicate this cancer.”
For more information regarding the Benco Family Foundation or to obtain a grant application, please contact Binder at 570-602-5888 or rbinder@benco.com.
