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Cancer is something that is rarely on the minds of dental tourists who come to Costa Rica to get cosmetic and restoration procedures done; however, recent medical research suggests that dental appointments can help in the early detection of malignant cell division in the lymphatic system.

In the United States, the Oral Cancer Foundation works with the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance to increase awareness about the role that dentistry plays in detecting this type of disease.

A recent news report in Dentistry Today explains that:

Dental workers have the opportunity and the need to obtain a full medical, dental, and social history of each patient. Symptoms associated with head and neck cancer can be minimal but may increase over time due to progression of the condition.

At the Flikier Institute of Dental Rehabilitation, a clinic that specializes in dental tourism and oral surgery in Costa Rica, dental professionals constantly assess patients for signs that suggest a risk of cancer. When dental tourists undergo an intake evaluation in Costa Rica, a medical history is collected with regard to use of oral hygiene products, tobacco and liquor consumption, history of cancer in the family, etc. In addition to this history, dental professionals also check for lumps, discomfort while swallowing, bleeding that is not from gingivitis, limited mandibular motion, and other signs.

Dental tourists may not realize that their health providers in Costa Rica are checking for signs of cancer, but this is something that begins with the initial telephone and email interviews conducted prior to booking a flight. At the Flikier institute, periodontist specialists are not the only ones trained to look for signs of cancer; prosthodontists and implantologists pay close attention to any abnormalities that can be observed in the CAD/CAM imagery, and even dental hygienists are familiar with some of these signs.

According to statistics compiled by the World Health Organization, more than 600,000 cases of oropharyngeal diagnosed each year. Early detection is crucial, and dental tourism professionals in Costa Rica can certainly help in this regard.