The International Olympic Committee (IOC) plans to screen a record number of athletes for oral cancer during the 2010 Winter Olympics, according to a story in the Vancouver Sun.
A new IOC mandate calls for 20% of athletes -- up from 10% -- to receive a comprehensive oral exam, including screening for oral cancer using the VELscope from LED Dental.
The Olympic dental program comprises 72 dentists and their volunteer assistants. They anticipate about 800 athletes will sit in their dental chairs for everything from minor or routine dental care to trauma surgery, according to the Sun. The oral screening campaign will also include education for athletes on the importance of applying sun cream to help prevent mouth cancers.
Based on previous winter Olympics, the Olympic dentists can expect to see about 100 trauma cases involving possible damage to teeth, lips, cheeks, and tongues, as well as broken bones, the Sun story estimated.
3M ESPE is providing an array of dental supplies for use by the Olympic dentists, and the dental chairs were donated by Sinclair Dental.
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