Oral cancer screening (OCS) may be the best way to detect oral cancer early, and dental hygienists have an important role. They screen for oral cancer as part of every dental hygiene appointment, regardless of age, and educate clients about risk factors and how to detect potential problems. Detecting the disease in the early stages is key to the survival rate. Thousands of new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed in Canada each year; the five-year survival rate of all oral cancer cases is about 50 per cent. Some estimates suggest that screening could detect as many as 80 per cent of new cases.