Austin, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/09/2012 -- April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, and about 40,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with this form of cancer every year. One person dies from this affliction every hour of every day. The outlook doesn’t have to be bleak, though.

“Early detection and education are the keys,” said Dr. Chad Denman of Family Tree Dental Group. “Oral cancer can usually be found in its earliest stages, and that’s when survival rates are particularly high and the side-effects from treatment are fairly low. The most important thing a person can do is get screened once a year. Some offices like Family Tree Dental offer the exam as part of a patient’s regular six month evaluation. If your dentist doesn’t, ask for his recommendation or take advantage of our free screenings this month in Austin and Round Rock.”

Early indicators of oral cancer:
- Red and/or white discolorations of the soft tissues of the mouth.
- Any sore that does not heal within 14 days.
- Hoarseness that lasts for a prolonged period of time.

Advanced indicators of oral cancer:
- A sensation that something is stuck in your throat.
- Numbness in the oral region.
- Difficulty in moving the jaw or tongue.
- Difficulty in swallowing.
- Ear pain which occurs on one side only.
- A sore under a denture, which even after adjustment of the denture still does not heal.
- A lump or thickening that develops in the mouth or on the neck.

Family Tree Dental Group is offering FREE oral cancer screenings at its Austin and Round Rock locations on the following dates and times:

Friday, April 27
10am to 2pm
200 N. Red Bud Ln
Round Rock, TX 78665
512-310-5999

Saturday, April 28
10am to 2pm
5310 Burnet Rd, Suite 108
Austin, TX 78756
512-458-5999

Call Family Tree Dental Group today to make an appointment for your complimentary screening – it’s quick, painless and could save your life.

For more information about oral cancer, please log onto The Oral Cancer Foundation’s official website at http://www.oralcancer.org.

Family Tree Dental Group was founded in 2011 by Austin/Round Rock dentists and identical twin brothers Drs. Chad and Shelby Denman to provide high quality dental care in a state-of-the-art environment with careful attention to detail and deep personal respect. Family Tree Dental Group helps maintain the oral health of patients of all ages and cares for all dental needs under one roof. For more information, call (512) 458-5999 or visit http://www.FamilyTreeDentalGroup.com.