MOUTH CANCER SCREENING ACCREDITIATION SCHEME PRACTICE OF THE MONTH –YOUNG’S DENTAL PRACTICE
TUESDAY 1ST JULY 2014
PRESS RELEASE– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Interviews Available:Mouth Cancer Foundation Consultant – Elizabeth Laverack
Young’s Dental Practice Principal Dentist – Kirkwood Young
To set up an interview andfor more informationplease call Media Ambitions on + 44 (0) 208 940 2222 or email .
Today,a family run practice that has been serving the people of the East Riding of Yorkshire for over 30 years, Young’s Dental Practice,is announced as the Mouth Cancer Foundation’s ‘Practice of the Month’ for July. The team has proven they go above and beyond to implement the charity’s Mouth Cancer Screening Accreditation Scheme* so was chosen from all dental practices across the UK who have signed up to the charity’s new scheme. By joining the scheme the dental practice is placing the onus on their own team to actively prove they are carrying out a thorough head and neck cancer check at routine appointments.
The scheme is a ‘Two minutes to save a life’ screening protocol, which is a 10-point checklist that every dentist should be able to include in their routine examinations, whether they’re based at an NHS, private or mixed practice. The charity accredits dental practices that meet the criteria.
Here Principal Dentist, Kirkwood Young outlines how the Mouth Cancer Screening Accreditation Scheme has inspired his team to raise public awareness of mouth cancer.
Practice Name:Youngs Dental Practice
Practice Address:Market Place, Snaith, East Riding, Yorkshire, DN14 9HE
Size of Practice:3 surgeries, 11 staff
Practice website:
Scheme Lead: Kirkwood Young
Tell Us about Your Practice
Young’s Dental Practice is a family run practice that has been serving the people of the East Riding of Yorkshire for over 30 years. We are one of the UK’s leading Minimal Intervention Dentistry (MID) Practices.
The team is proud to have won several awards recently including: the ORAL- B Preventative Practice of the Year, a Gold Award from the British Dental Association for the Good Practice Scheme, as well as chosen as one of the top 10 Most Innovative Dental Practices in the UK by the Private Dentistry Awards. We pride ourselves on delivering honest, ethical dentistry using the latest treatment and techniques that will save our patients time, treatment and money.
We treat each of our patients as an individual, and take care to understand each person’s concerns and wishes. Some people may have a fear of the dentist, some may want a more approachable dentist that they can easily communicate with, or feel completely comfortable with and others may want to have good quality dental treatment but have financial concerns. Whatever the issues, Young’s Dental Practice will always listen, and try our best to give our patients exactly what they want.
What attracted you to the Mouth Cancer Screening Accreditation Scheme?
As a minimal intervention practice we are always looking and ready to embrace a new technology or initiative that advocated prevention rather than cure. This particular scheme has national credentials and a track record in raising the awareness of cancer prevention across the UK. We wanted to work with like-minded individuals and organisations that share of passion for prevention that can save unnecessary trauma through education and early awareness of mouth cancer.
How has the Mouth Cancer Screening Accreditation Scheme helped Youngs Dental Practice reach best practice standards in the management of mouth cancer in general practice?
The Scheme has helped the staff by raising awareness throughout the Practice and updates their knowledge and skills when it comes to dealing with the possibility of diagnosing mouth cancer cases. It also supports us through its literature and website so we can help our patients become more aware of the signs to look out for and dispel some of the myths surrounding mouth cancer, for example, you will only develop it if you are a smoker or heavy drinker.
What benefits has Youngs Dental Practice seen for the team, patients and wider community since introducing the Mouth Cancer Screening Accreditation Scheme into practice?
The team has grown in confidence since the Scheme was put into practice and can speak to patients about the subject, armed with the right amount of knowledge as well extra resources that they can recommend to clients for further information. The Accreditation Scheme helps to strengthen our MID credentials regionally and nationally and has given each member of staff ownership and participation in an awareness campaign that essentially could help to save someone’s life in the long term. In the short term they could be helping patients to avoid extremely painful and disfiguring surgery through earlier diagnosis.
What the Team thinks about the Mouth Cancer Screening Accreditation Scheme
“The Scheme has helped the team to focus on this important preventative message by increasing our own knowledge and awareness. It has brought us right up to date with the latest information which means we can speak to our patients with confidence and authority without alarming them. This is a great awareness scheme and we are very pleased to be part of something so important.”
Sally Howden – Head Nurse
What the Patients Say about Youngs Dental Practice
“I’ve been a patient of Kirkwood Young for more than 25 years and I am constantly impressed with Kirk’s desire to involve the patient in the decision making process. Based on my first-hand experience of the imaginative programme of preventative and minimal intervention dentistry at Youngs Dental Practice, I have no hesitation in recommending Kirk Young and his excellent staff.”
Mr M.
“We are absolutely delighted with the treatment. Evan doesn’t like needles at all so the air abrasion was brilliant and he had nothing to worry about. We have always trusted Mr Young so when he advised this course of treatment we agreed – and he was right! Evan doesn’t mind going to the dentist at all now – in fact he looks forward to going!”
Cheryl Tyson
The Mouth Cancer Screening Accreditation Schemeis open to any dental practice whose clinicians are registered with the GDC. For more information or to join please contact the Mouth Cancer Foundation via or call +44 (0) 1924 950 950 for more information.
-ENDS-
For general press enquiries, please contact:
Elizabeth Ayto Laverack or Izabela Nair
Media Ambitions - +44 208940 2222
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Mouth Cancer Foundation –
The Mouth Cancer Foundation is a registered charity no. 1109298.
* The Mouth Cancer Screening Accreditation Scheme helps dentists to know what they are looking for and how to check and refer patients. This will allow head and neck cancers to be caught earlier. Head and neck cancers are particularly vicious and debilitating when detected late. Patients who survive are a huge drain on medical resources for the rest of their lives, in terms of post operative and the psychological care required. With earlier detection, lives are saved and costs on the NHS will reduce dramatically.
The scheme isa ‘Two minutes to save a life’ screening protocol, which is a 10-point checklist that every dentist should be able to include in their routine examinations.
Full membership includes access to a dedicated section of the charity website and FREE 1 hour CPD element as well as professional development and training modules suitable for all members of the practice team to ensure regular screening benefits practice patients.
The Mouth Cancer Foundation is a charity solely dedicated to supporting people affected by head and neck cancer. Support can play a pivotal role in meeting the psychosocial needs of patients. The Mouth Cancer Foundation’s online and telephone support service has given head and neck cancer patients and families the opportunity to articulate the consequences of their cancer journey and communicate their shared experiences. It is vital that the charity continues to provide free accessible information resources and ensure Mouth Cancer Foundation support is provided to those that need them.
About Mouth Cancer
Around 60,000 people in the UK will be diagnosed with mouth cancer over the next decade.
In the UK, over 7,700 people were diagnosed with Mouth Cancer in 2011.
Tobacco use is still considered the main cause of mouth cancer. According to the World Health Organisation, up to half of current smokers will die of a tobacco-related illness – including mouth cancer.
Drinking to excess can increase the risk of mouth cancer by four times. Those who smoke and drink are up to 30 times more likely to develop mouth cancer.
Mouth cancer is twice more common in men than in women, though an increasing number of women are being diagnosed with the disease.
Age is another factor, with people over the age of 40 more likely to be diagnosed, though more young people are now being affected than previously.
Poor diet is linked to a third of all cancer cases.
Experts suggest the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), transmitted through oral sex, could overtake tobacco and alcohol as the main risk factor within the coming decade.
Cancers can occur in any part of the mouth, tongue, lips, and adjacent areas like the throat, salivary glands, pharynx, larynx, sinus, and other sites in the head and neck area.
Symptoms include:
An ulcer or white or red patch anywhere in the mouth that does not heal within 3 weeks.
A lump or swelling anywhere in the mouth, jaw or neck that persists for more than 3 weeks.
A difficulty in swallowing, chewing or moving the jaw or tongue.
A numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth.
A feeling that something is caught in the throat.
A chronic sore throat or hoarseness that persists more than 6 weeks.
An unexplained loosening of teeth with no dental cause.
More information about Mouth Cancer is available at the Mouth Cancer Foundation web site or by emailing
Mouth Cancer Foundation © 2014