Bonus: Oral Cancer Awareness: Masterclass in Screenings and Early Detection

In honor of Oral Cancer Awareness Month, I wanted to bring you a special bonus episode of Straight Up With Steph, where Susan Cotten, a returning podcast guest, seasoned dental hygienist, and oral cancer specialist, presents a masterclass in oral cancer education. 

This year, it’s estimated that about 59,660 Americans will be diagnosed with either oral or oral pharyngeal cancer. That’s over 160 Americans diagnosed every single day.  

Susan joins us in sharing the four pillars of her Cotten Method for oral cancer screening, common risk factors & symptoms, the significant role HPV plays in oropharyngeal cancer, and how to confidently talk to patients about HPV and the vaccine. 

About Susan Cotten:

Susan Cotten, BS, RDH, OMT, is dentistry’s oral cancer coach! She is the founder and CEO of Oral Cancer Consulting and developed The Cotten Method, an oral cancer screening method and dental oral cancer office system. In addition to speaking, Susan holds hands-on oral cancer screening workshops for dental professionals who want to have more confidence in a comprehensive screening, reduce the risk of liability, and increase early detection. In her career, Susan has performed over 60 thousand oral cancer screenings. She is the Dental Lead for the Alliance for HPV Free Colorado, an instructor for the National Network for Healthcare Hygienists, an RDH Advisory Board member at The Oral Cancer Foundation, and director with Dental Codeology Consortium. 

Links Mentioned:

Ep 17: Disability Insurance 101: Tips For Protecting Your Future with Susan Cotten

Oral Cancer Foundation

NNHH Cotten Method Online Course

RDH Article: It’s time to get comfortable discussing HPV

Colorado Dental Association

DenSmiles 

Connect with Susan Cotten:

Oral Cancer Consulting

Facebook:@SusanCottenRDH

LinkedIn: @SusanCotten

Instagram: @scottenrdh

To watch on YouTube, click here

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Polished Posture. The information shared in this podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for any health concerns or before making significant lifestyle changes.  

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction of Susan Cotten
• 2:38 How Donny Osmond came to fund her mission in oral cancer advocacy.
• 10:50 The 4 pillars in the Cotton Method of oral cancer screening.
• 14:59 Time-efficient tips for doing multiple screenings at once.
• 17:47 How many clinicians actually do effective screenings?
• 20:44 The shocking prevalence and survivability of oral cancer.
• 23:44 HPV’s role in oral cancer and how the vaccine works.
• 26:23 How to talk to patients about HPV and the vaccine with confidence.
• 34:53 The potential future of vaccines in dental offices.
• 35:54 What we look for in cancer screenings and how to refer.
• 45:02 Oral cancer screening devices.
• 48:46 How to contact Susan Cotten.