Global Health Nexus, Fall 2000

Second Regional Oral Cancer Awareness Campaign

On October 25 and 26, the Consortium for Prevention and Early Detection of Oral Cancer conducted its second free oral cancer screening at more than a dozen sites in New York and New Jersey.

In addition to NYU Dentistry, the founding members of the Consortium include the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery, the SUNY/Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine, the UMDNJ New Jersey Dental School, and the Office of Oral Health, Programs, and Policy for New York City, part of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. This year they were joined by the New York County Dental Society, the New Jersey Dental Association, and four additional hospitals in New Jersey. As they did for the inaugural screening program in 1999, ABC 7 once again ran a vigorous promotional campaign of public-service announcements.

Over the two-day period, more than 1500 people were screened for oral cancer, and dozens of suspicious lesions were identified.