UK College of Dentistry to receive $1 million grant

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – A $1 million grant from the United Health Foundation will enable the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry to launch its “Eradicate Oral Cancer in Eastern Kentucky” project.

The three-year project will raise public awareness of the symptoms of oral cancer and its links to heavy alcohol and tobacco use, provide approximately 1,000 oral cancer screenings at local health departments, and help connect patients who need additional care to cancer specialists in Lexington.

The grant was awarded to address the high prevalence of oral cancer in Harlan, Letcher and Pike counties in eastern Kentucky, as well as the lack of access to local health care providers who specialize in oral cancer treatment. The three-year grant enables UKCD to lead an integrated outreach and care program delivered to local residents through their local health departments.

Kentucky has one of nation’s highest incidences of oral cancer, according to the National Institute of Health, and the prevalence of oral cancer in the targeted counties is as much as 54 percent higher than the state average. Oral cancer has a high rate of mortality; only about 57 percent of people survive five years after diagnosis, due in large part to late discovery.

According to America’s Health Rankings, Kentucky also has a growing problem with access to dental care and oral health services. The number of dentists per capita has declined for three straight years.

UKCD will share the findings from the “Eradicate Oral Cancer in Eastern Kentucky” project in presentations to state and national organizations, along with guidance on how the program could be replicated or adapted in other communities.