September 14, 2026 – PRESSADVANTAGE –

Mardirossian Periodontics & Dental Implants builds an oral cancer screening into its routine exams rather than treating it as a separate visit or an add-on service. The screening itself is brief, usually just a few minutes tacked onto a regular checkup, and it does not involve anything beyond a visual and physical exam of the mouth, throat, head, and neck.

Dr. Armen Mardirossian performs the exam by looking over the lips, gums, tongue, and the inside of the cheeks and throat for sores, red or white patches, or other tissue that looks out of place. He also checks the head, jaw, cheeks, and neck by hand for swelling or lumps that would not be visible on their own, and may ask a patient to swallow or move the tongue to get a better sense of how the surrounding tissue is functioning. None of it requires sedation or special preparation, and it is not painful.

The American Cancer Society does not recommend a dedicated population-wide screening test for oral and oropharyngeal cancers, largely because no simple exam or blood test reliably catches them in people who have no symptoms. What the organization does note is that many oral cancers and precancers are still found early, while they are small and more treatable, through routine exams performed by a dentist, physician, or hygienist. That distinction matters. An oral cancer screening in Chino, CA at a periodontal practice is not a substitute for a diagnostic test that does not yet exist, but it is one of the more consistent ways abnormalities get noticed before a patient has any reason to suspect something is wrong.

That timing is part of why the exam gets built into regular visits instead of scheduled reactively. According to the American Dental Association, oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers accounted for about 2.9 percent of all cancers diagnosed in the United States in 2026, with tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and the combination of the two remaining the most established risk factors. Human papillomavirus infection has also become a more prominent factor in oropharyngeal cancers specifically, a shift public health researchers have tracked over the past two decades. Sun exposure factors into lip cancer risk as well, and a personal history of oral cancer raises the likelihood of recurrence.

If the exam turns up something worth a closer look, the next step is not automatically alarming, but it typically means more testing. A biopsy, in which a small tissue sample is sent to a lab, is the most direct way to determine whether abnormal cells are present. Special dyes or lights can sometimes highlight tissue changes that are not obvious to the eye, and imaging such as X-rays or a CT scan may be used if a suspicious area needs a closer look before deciding on next steps.

For patients trying to decide whether an oral cancer screening in Chino, CA is worth building into an existing dental visit, the answer generally comes down to how little it adds to an appointment already scheduled for other reasons. Anyone with questions about the exam, or looking to schedule an oral cancer screening in Chino, CA alongside a periodontal visit, can find more information by visiting www.scperioimplant.com.

Mardirossian Periodontics & Dental Implants is a periodontal practice in Chino, California, led by Dr. Armen Mardirossian. The practice provides periodontal care, dental implants, oral surgery, and preventive services, including oral cancer screenings, for patients throughout the surrounding area.

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For more information about Mardirossian Periodontics & Dental Implants, contact the company here:

Mardirossian Periodontics & Dental Implants
Mardirossian Periodontics & Dental Implants
(909) 613-1366
monique.scperioimplant@gmail.com

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