VELSCOPE® Oral Cancer Screening in Kent, Wa



VELscope Oral Cancer Screening System

More than 480,000 new cases of oral and throat cancers are diagnosed each year, and over 35,000 of those cases are right here in the United States. Oral cancer kills one person every hour in the U.S., and without proper detection methods, a person may have oral cancer and not even know it. In almost all cases of oral cancer, early detection plays a major role in a patient's chances of survival. By diagnosing and treating oral cancer early, a patient's five year survival rate is 80-90% greater.


Risk factors for oral cancer include:

  • Frequent use of tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco)
  • Excessive consumption of alcohol
  • Genetics (a family history of oral cancer or any type of cancer)
  • Excessive exposure to the sun at a young age

While men above the age of 50 are typically at the most risk for oral cancer, there has been a recent increase in the number of women with oral cancer due to a connection between oral cancer and the human papilloma virus (HPV-16).



How VELscope works

The VELscope screening system consists of a specialized white light source and viewing scope that make it easier for your doctor to look closely at the tissues inside your mouth. Normal tissues will almost glow a bright green color. Abnormal tissue shows up much darker under the special light.

An abnormal screening does not always mean that the patient has cancer. If an abnormal screening occurs, your doctor may schedule a second scan later to see if the dark spots disappear, or may choose to perform a gentle, non-invasive brush biopsy to make sure it's not cancer.


The place looks nice and neat. The front desk ladies are so sweet and never fail to welcome me with a smile. Mollie took care of my deep cleaning. She was very gentle and always explaining what's she's doing beforehand. I really appreciate her and the staff. Thank you for taking good care of me ❤

I've been to a lot of dentists in my lifetime and this is the best experience I have ever had!! My dental work is perfect! Never any pain! Kind, caring and gentle staff! I drive all the way from Spokane for my appointments and am always excited to come here and see everyone!!

Excellent service! Super impressed by the professionalism and thorough work ethic of the staff members. I would recommend this outstanding experience to anyone truly seeking a family-like environment! Thanks for taking care of me and my family. Wink, wink.

This is the best Dental office in the whole of Washington state, no doubt. Dr. Mark Walker is a field Marshall in Dental technology in the USA. Thank you Mark for restoring all my teeth so that I can smile again. God send you to help me. God bless you and your family and all your workers.

Schedule Your Dental Appointment in Kent, WA


Contact our office today to schedule an appointment. Call (253) 852-3033 or click here to establish your appointment with our 5-star dentists today!


As one of the legacy dental practices in Kent, WA, with over 30 years of experience, Meridian Dental Clinic provides 5-star-rated dental care to patients in Renton, Tukwila, SeaTac, Cascade-Fairwood, East Hill-Meridian, Maple Heights-Lake Desire, Shadow Lake, Covington, Lakeland North, & Auburn.

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