Mouth Cancer Foundation partners with Immersify Dental to educate and inform
During lockdown head and neck cancer checks during routine dental appointments ceased to exist. Dentists are now running a vastly reduced service and mouth cancer checks are no longer a priority. Because traditional practice was no longer viable, dental students turned to applications such as Immersify Dental, looking for resources that complemented their studies.
Megan Clarkson, a fifth-year dental student, explains: “This free app has been really helpful. It allows me to assess a model patient’s mouth using AR and keep dental morphology tools in my pocket at all times.”
The organisation behind the app, Immersify Education, has now partnered with the Mouth Cancer Foundation and connected with the Foundation’s younger audiences. It is sharing information about head and neck cancer, oral health, and other relevant issues, by presenting information through its ground-breaking digital technology.
With routine examinations on hold it is more important than ever to understand the signs and symptoms of mouth cancer and check yourself at least once a month, otherwise the detection of malignant conditions may go undetected – as in the case of retired Army Officer, William, (Bill), Howarth, 67 (top).
Bill was diagnosed with Nasopharyngeal cancer on the 13th July 2020. He realised there was a problem because of his persistent sore throat and sore gums at the upper back of his mouth. He described the sensation: “As if I had a tooth abscess.”
The discomfort began in March 2020, and shrugged off more than two months of different remedies and prescribed antibiotics. A month later when Bill’s symptoms showed no improvement, he was finally referred to a specialist at the hospital, where he was finally diagnosed with cancer.
Prior to his diagnosis, Bill had known little about head and neck cancers. He had received no education about the causes, symptoms, and treatment. Six weeks of radiotherapy and two weeks of chemotherapy treatment followed. Bill describes the treatment as unpleasant and added: “I’ve lost my sense of smell and taste, and this has also affected my hearing”.
Bill is the partner of Immersify Education’s CEO, Chloe Barret’s mother. Chloe said: “Bill’s diagnosis has been extremely upsetting to his immediate family. I think an overall feeling of shock has rippled through the people closest to Bill. When someone you care about is in pain, it is difficult not to be saddened and concerned.”
Bill and Chloe now understand more than most how important it is to spot the early signs of head and neck cancers. Bill hopes his story will inspire others to seek advice from their dentist if any symptoms appear, and believes the education of mouth/head and neck cancer delivered to students, professionals and the general public is absolutely critical to help to reduce late diagnosis.
Yewande Oduwole, a recently qualified dentist, observes: “With COVID, patients were put in a difficult position. The lack of routine examinations means that the detection of malignant conditions such as oral cancer may go undetected.”
Megan Clarkson agrees: “Many patients are unaware of oral cancer’s existence in their mouth due to its silent nature, and even with the gradual opening of dental services patients may still be worried about visiting the dentist due to the perceived infection risks.”
Dentist and President of the Mouth Cancer Foundation, Dr Philip Lewis, is urging the government to listen to the repeated calls that thousands of cases may have gone undetected due to the reduction in routine dental appointments.
He adds: “According to the Association of Dental Groups 49% of households have at least one adult who has missed an appointment or decided against visiting the dentist. That is almost 13 million adults who have missed annual check-ups.
“Dentists are especially concerned about the potential increase in mouth cancers because routine check-ups are the key to early diagnosis. If this is not happening and the early warning signs go undetected, then we will see mouth cancer rates increase dramatically.
“The numbers are alarming. A life is lost to mouth cancer every three hours, and over 8300 new cases are diagnosed in the UK each year. Worldwide, mouth cancer affects 6500,000 people per annum, 75% of whom are in the over 55 age group. Without early diagnosis these statistics could spiral upwards, every one of which means a family member lost.”
More information about mouth cancer is available at the Mouth Cancer Foundation web site www.mouthcancerfoundation.org or by emailing
To discover more about Immersify Education, visit https://immersifyeducation.com/
