Oral Cancer Screening and Public Health Impact: Epidemiology, Technologies, Awareness, and Future Direction

Sohail Vyas¹, Manjiri Chakor², Hoorieh Sadat Alamolhoda³, Karen Ojeda⁴, Shilpi Deshpande⁵, Happy Parth Shah⁶ and Ridhi Bhola^7,

¹BDS, University of Glasgow Dental School, Glasgow, United Kingdom

²MDS (Oral and maxillofacial surgery), R D Dental College and Research Centre, Nagpur, India

³DMD, Kashan University of Medical Science and Health Services. Kashan, Isfahan, Iran

⁴BDS, Universidad Católica Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil-Ecuador

⁵BDS, MHA, Government Dental Coĺlege, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India

⁶BDS, Daswani Dental College and Research Centre, Rajasthan University of Health & Science, Rajasthan, India

⁷MDS (Oral Pathology and Microbiology), Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Rohtak, India

Cite this paper:
Sohail Vyas, Manjiri Chakor, Hoorieh Sadat Alamolhoda, Karen Ojeda, Shilpi Deshpande, Happy Parth Shah and Ridhi Bhola. Oral Cancer Screening and Public Health Impact: Epidemiology, Technologies, Awareness, and Future Direction. American Journal of Cancer Prevention. 2025; 12(1):1-8. doi: 10.12691/ajcp-12-1-1

Abstract

Oral cancer remains a significant global public health challenge, with increasing incidence rates, particularly among younger populations. Despite advancements in treatment, survival outcomes continue to be poor, largely due to delayed diagnosis and limited public awareness. Early detection improves prognosis, enhances survival rates, and minimises treatment-related complications. Most oral cancers are preceded by visible premalignant lesions, making them potentially detectable through routine clinical examinations.Systematic visual and oral examinations have proven to be both practical and effective in identifying early-stage disease in asymptomatic individuals. This review explores the epidemiology and risk factors associated with oral cancer, examines current screening strategies and public health interventions, and discusses future innovations, including salivary diagnostics, artificial intelligence, and mobile health technologies, that may transform early detection and management. Emphasis is placed on the need for multidisciplinary collaboration and improved public and professional awareness to shift the diagnostic window towards earlier stages of the disease.

Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence Epidemiology Oral Cancer screening Oral examination Risk Factors

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