Norfolk dental practice raises £1,000 for Mouth Cancer Action charity campaign

6 Dec 2023

A dental practice in Norfolk has raised awareness of mouth cancer among local residents while generously donating over £1,000 to support a crucial charity campaign. 

Fundraising for the Oral Health Foundation’s Mouth Cancer Action Month, the team at Corner Dental Practice showcased a diverse range of activities, including a highly successful raffle and a spirited 10K seaside walk along Cromer seafront. 

The team’s efforts have been praised by the charity, who say the commitment of the team signifies a remarkable effort to advance awareness and contribute significantly to the fight against mouth cancer. 

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, says: "We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Corner Dental Practice for their exceptional fundraising efforts and unwavering commitment to raising awareness of mouth cancer. 

“Their generosity and dedication play a vital role in our mission to educate communities and make a lasting impact on the prevention and early detection of mouth cancer. Corner Dental Practice exemplifies the spirit of community engagement, and we are truly grateful for their support in our ongoing fight against this critical health issue." 

Mouth Cancer Action Month took place during November with the aim of improving the population’s awareness of mouth cancer. 

The campaign was supported by thousands of dental practices around the United Kingdom, educating patients chairside, in waiting rooms and across local community settings. 

Latest annual data shows that more than 9,800 people a year across UK are diagnosed with mouth cancer. This represents an increase of around 50% over the last decade. 

Despite a record number of cases, awareness of mouth cancer remains low. Knowledge about the common signs and symptoms is as low as 11% while most do not understand their level of risk. 

Poor awareness is often a key barrier in early detection, with many patients not accessing care until the cancer has reached stage III or IV, where it is at its most advanced.    

The whole dental team at Corner Dental Practice believes fundraising is an important measure to improve public awareness, tackle late presentation of the disease, and increase patient outcomes and quality of life. 

A spokesperson on behalf of the practice says: "Throughout the month of Oral Cancer Awareness, our team have worked together to promote the awareness of oral cancer and to educate on the different signs and symptoms to look out for, and to get more people talking about oral cancer.

Together as a team we held a raffle at the practice with a prize of a beautiful hamper. We also held a sponsored 10km walk through our Norfolk coast town of Cromer, through local towns and back along the windy seaside coastal path on the 25^th of November 2023 with both rain and sunshine! We are completely overjoyed by the support received and how many people came together to sponsor our team for such a worthy cause. 

We would like to say a huge thank you to the generosity of all our patients, family and friends who have help us to raise such a tremendous sum of money to go towards valuable research into such an unspoken about subject.

We are extremely proud of our Team here at Corner House Dental Practice in Cromer and are delighted to be donating to the oral health foundation as a self-funded charity to continue their mission to bring better oral health to all."  

Every pound raised is a beacon of hope, shining light on the importance of awareness and early intervention. We are not just raising funds; we're saving lives, one campaign at a time." 

If you feel inspired to fundraise for the Oral Health Foundation’s Mouth Cancer Action campaign, please visit www.mouthcancer.org for ideas and help around planning your event. If you would like some extra help then please email [email protected], where the charity’s team will be more than happy to help.