Did you know that oral cancer is one of the most curable diseases when it is detected early? However, the problem with oral cancer is that approximately 70% of the time, it is not visible to the dental professional until it has reached an advanced stage. The good news is as with most serious diseases, early detection is the key to successful outcomes.

In a regular check up with my Periodontist last year, the dental assistant introduced me to a quick and painless exam that could save lives. She went on to say and the brochure she provided validated that every hour of every day, one American dies of oral cancer. She pointed out that the exam is simple and above all painless! To which I said, let's do it! The exam is referred to as the Visilite exam and oral lesion identification and marking system.

The technology now being used in the dental profession is a new technology known as ViziLite Plus technology. It is being used by many in the dental profession. This new technology can assist your dental professionals in viewing abnormal tissue in the mouth, prior to it becoming plainly obvious. The purpose of using ViziLite Plus is to identify tissue modifications at their earliest stage. Once identified, it is up to your dental professional to determine what the appropriate next steps would be.

Here are some of the deadly statistics of Oral Cancer:

• Every hour of every day, one American dies of oral cancer.
• The mortality rate associated with oral cancer has not improved significantly in the last 40 years.
• The death rate in the United States for oral cancer is higher than that of cervical cancer, cancer of the brain, liver, Hodgkin's disease, testes, kidney, or ovary.
• More than 30,000 Americans will receive an oral cancer diagnosis this year. In five years, only 57% will still be alive.
• 27% of oral cancer victims do not use tobacco or alcohol and have no other lifestyle risk factors

Following are steps that you may expereince from your dental professional for identifying abnormal oral tissue using the ViziLite^® Plus with TBlue630 oral lesion identification and marking system.

1. Your dental professional will encourage you to read the ViziLite Plus patient education brochure.

2. Your dental professional will perform a routine exam of the oral cavity, noting the presence of any lesions.

3. Next, you will rinse with the ViziLite Pre-Rinse solution (1% acetic acid) for 30-60 seconds.

4. Your dental professional will re-examine the oral cavity using the ViziLite device.

5. Your dental professional will now look for and document any abnormalities that may be seen on the mouth.

6. Your dental professional will discuss the results of the exam.

One of the questions, you may have at this stage is whether it is covered by insurance companies. Following is information to address this very pertinent question in this day of high prices.

Dental Insurance

To help with this process, the American Dental Association has established a dental insurance procedure code that applies to the ViziLite Plus exam. It is the CDT-5 D0431 code. Be sure to encourage your dentist to use this code when submitting your claim. It is possible that your dental plan may cover this procedure and both you and your dentist may be unaware of it.

Medical Insurance

It is also possible that your medical insurance company may cover the ViziLite Plus exam. There are several medical insurance codes that have also been used to obtain insurance reimbursement for the ViziLite Plus exam. These codes consist of the CPT code 82397 for "chemiluminescent assay" and ICD-9 code, V76.42, which refers to a "special screening for malignant neoplasms, oral cavity".

What if my claim is denied?

Here is a prepared sample appeal letters for you to send to your insurance company in the event that your submission for reimbursement has been denied. Simply download the letter by clicking here (or request a letter by calling 866.945.2776), add your information to the letter, and forward it to your insurance company.

The challenge: Make this test apart of your annual dental physical. Visilite^TM is an FDA approved Oral Lesion Identification and Marking System and it can identify oral abnormalities in patients who may or may not be predisposed to oral cancer. It is a simple painless test that could help save Your life!