Oral Cancer Exams
A quick, painless look at the soft tissue in your mouth — the kind of check that finds something early, when early still changes the outcome.
What it is
Oral cancer is one of the more treatable cancers when it's caught in the early stages. The exam itself takes a few minutes and is part of a routine visit — a thorough look at your lips, tongue, cheeks, throat, and the floor and roof of your mouth.
We're looking for anything that doesn't belong: a sore that hasn't healed, a patch that looks different from the tissue around it, a lump or thickening. Most of the time everything is fine, and we'll say so.
If something looks worth a closer look, we'll tell you plainly and talk through what happens next. We won't alarm you, and we won't leave you guessing.
What happens when you come in
- A look at the soft tissueLips, tongue, cheeks, the floor and roof of the mouth, and the back of the throat. No instruments, no discomfort.
- If something looks offWe show you, we name it, and we talk about what to do — which is usually a follow-up in a few weeks or a referral to someone who specializes in it.
- If everything looks normalWe say that too. You leave knowing.
This might be for you if
- You smoke or have smoked
- You've had a sore in your mouth that hasn't healed in two weeks
- You're over 40 and it's been a while since anyone looked at your soft tissue
- You'd just like to know
None of this is a diagnosis — it’s just what tends to bring people in. If you’re not sure whether it applies to you, call and ask.
Questions people ask
Does it hurt?
No. It's a visual exam — we look, we don't poke or scrape unless something needs a closer look.
How often should I have this done?
Once a year is reasonable for most adults. More often if you have risk factors — we'll tell you if that applies to you.
What happens if you find something?
We tell you what it looks like and what the next step is. Sometimes that's watching it. Sometimes it's a referral. We won't leave you with a vague 'we'll keep an eye on it' and nothing else.
What it costs
We can’t put a number on this page honestly — it depends on your mouth and your plan. What we can tell you is how it works: we look first, we explain what we think you need, and you get the cost in writing before anything starts. We don’t begin work you haven’t agreed to, and we won’t pressure you into treatment you don’t need.
We're out of network with all insurances. We do file your claims as a courtesy, so the paperwork isn't left to you — but what your plan pays back is between you and them, and we won't guess at a number. Bring your plan and we'll tell you what we know before anything starts.
CareCredit and Sunbit are available if you’d rather spread the cost. If you’d like to ask before you come in, call (903) 856-6688.
Ready when you are
We’ll greet you by name, explain things clearly, and never rush you.