Oral cancer prevention takes centre stage as 690 screened in community dental camp

DIGRI: A community dental outreach brought oral cancer screening, specialist assessment and preventive counselling to nearly 700 people, highlighting the importance of detecting oral health problems before they progress to more serious disease.

The camp, organised by the DentEd Collective at Government Main Boys Elementary School, Digri, screened approximately 690 people through free dental and oral examinations.

Alongside routine dental assessments, the initiative focused on identifying suspicious oral lesions and other risk factors associated with oral cancer. Participants were also counselled on oral hygiene, harmful habits, warning signs and the importance of obtaining professional advice when abnormalities persist.

The emphasis on early recognition is particularly relevant in South Asia, where oral cancer remains a major health concern and exposure to smokeless tobacco and areca-nut products contributes substantially to the disease burden. The World Health Organization identifies tobacco, alcohol and areca nut among the leading causes of oral cancer and stresses prevention and early detection as key measures.

The screening brought specialist academic expertise into the community through the participation of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro.

The LUMHS team participated under the leadership of Professor Dr. Sana Mirza, Chairperson, Department of Oral Pathology. Her department's involvement added specialist input to the assessment of oral conditions and strengthened the camp's focus on recognising potentially concerning findings at an early stage.

The organisers said the initiative was intended to take preventive oral healthcare beyond conventional dental settings and closer to people who may not routinely undergo dental examinations.

The preventive component was reinforced through the distribution of approximately 1,000 toothbrush and toothpaste packs among schoolchildren and community members, with support from Colgate.

The supplies were distributed alongside oral-hygiene education, giving participants practical means to continue the preventive measures discussed during the camp.

The outreach also brought together dental teams from multiple institutions through the DentEd Collective. The organisation's participation was led by Dr. Alssa Uqaily, President, and Dr. Sanaullah Soomro, Vice President.

The Muhammad Dental College team was led by Muhammad Mustafa, while Muaz Buzdar represented and led the team from Bhittai Dental College. The participation of students and young dental professionals provided an opportunity to combine clinical exposure with community service and oral-health education.

Local dental professionals also contributed to the screening. Dr. Aun Muhammad Qaimkhani, Consultant Prosthodontist and a Digri-based dental practitioner, took part in the clinical examination of participants.

The wider dental team included Abdullah Riaz Qaimkhani, Muhammad Talha Khaskheli, Muhammad Hassan Khatti, Ujala Khan Khattak, Ghazala Eidan, Muhammad Muazin Yousuf, Muhammad Asim, Muhammad Talha Ansar, Muhammad Sarfaraz and Muhammad Waqas Chattha.

Community and institutional representatives also supported the activity, including Madam Asma Sardar, Headmistress; Mir Zulfiqar Ali Talpur, Chairman, Town Committee Digri; Dr. Ilyas Jatt, Medical Superintendent; Dr. Azam Akhtar Qaimkhani, Senior Medical Officer; Haji Sarwar; Dr. Naeem Qaimkhani; Haji Safdari Ali Kaim Khani; Muhammad Hassnain; Shazer Kamran; Nadeem Ahmed; members of the journalist community and other local personalities.

The scale of the camp underscored the role community-based services can play in addressing gaps in oral healthcare. WHO estimates that oral diseases affect billions of people worldwide and notes that disadvantaged populations face disproportionate barriers to prevention and treatment. Most oral health conditions, including dental caries, gum disease and oral cancers, can be prevented or treated more effectively when identified early.

For oral cancer, prevention and early recognition are especially important. IARC and WHO have highlighted the value of reducing exposure to tobacco and areca nut and improving early detection, particularly in regions with a high burden of the disease.

The DentEd-led initiative therefore combined three elements often separated in routine healthcare — screening, education and prevention. With nearly 700 people assessed and around 1,000 oral-hygiene packs distributed, the camp sought to make oral health awareness and early recognition part of community healthcare rather than something addressed only after serious symptoms emerge.