What's missing? Oral cancer screenings as part of comprehensive exams
Kathy Forbes, dental coding expert, discusses the fact that many dental offices are not performing oral cancer screenings as part of their comprehensive exams. When dental hygiene appointment times are decreased, oral cancer screenings are often dropped.
Kathy tells the story that from 2012 until recently, she had to find new dentists in a few states as she moved around. She was told there would be a comprehensive oral exam that included a head neck exam. None of the offices she chose actually came through on that promise, and she found this disturbing, especially with oral cancer on the rise.
This is not good for patients, but also not good for dental health-care workers, who owe it to their patients to provide the best care possible.
Hear what else Kathy and I discuss, including some coding tips.
About the Author
Kathy S. Forbes, BS, RDH, FADHA
Kathy S. Forbes, BS, RDH, FADHA, brings over four decades of passion and expertise to the dental profession as a clinician, educator, speaker, author, and consultant. Known for turning complex coding topics into clear, practical insights, Kathy helps dental teams connect accurate documentation and coding with quality patient care. Kathy serves as a Director for the DentalCodeology Consortium, where she works with hygienists from across the country to review and develop dental hygiene–related procedure codes and presents testimony annually to the ADA’s Code Maintenance Committee.
Reach her at [email protected].
Jackie Sanders, MBA, RDH
Chief Editor, RDH magazine
Jackie Sanders, MBA, RDH, has over four decades of continual career development and experience in dentistry. As the chief editor of RDH magazine, she strives to remain a proactive personality in the continual advancement of the profession. She has been defined as a motivated trendsetter and dependable colleague and is inspired by her true passion of helping others to achieve their personal goals.