15 Oct 2014

One of the UK's dental plan providers has raised more than £500 to help support mouth cancer awareness.

Patient Plan Direct has raised £550 after offering practices an opportunity to give their patients ‘The Big Break' whilst at the same time supporting Mouth Cancer Action.

Patients that signed up to a practice's dental plan administered by Patient Plan Direct between 1st April and 30th June 2014, were automatically entered in to a prize draw to win £12,000 along with other new direct debit payers across the UK as part of The Big Break campaign.

Patient Plan Direct also made a 50p donation to Mouth Cancer Action for every new patient that signed up to a dental plan throughout the campaign.

Mouth Cancer Action Month, run by oral health charity the British Dental Health Foundation, aims of raise awareness of mouth cancer, a disease which has increased by 50 per cent in the last decade.

Simon Reynolds, commercial director of Patient Plan Direct, commented: "Our Big Break campaign was aimed at helping the practices we work with incentivize more patients to join their respective dental plan, which by definition is geared towards preventative dentistry and the reduction in risk of oral disease.

"At the same time we wanted to show our support towards a very worthy cause that requires as much awareness as possible. I'm very glad we have been able to offer a helping hand to enable Mouth Cancer Action to continue their fantastic work."

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, added: "On behalf of the British Dental Health Foundation, I would like to thank Patient Plan Direct for their donation.

"Mouth cancer is one of the fastest growing forms of the disease, yet very few people understand or are even aware of the risks.

"With the help of the generous donation from Patient Plan Direct, I hope we can continue to educate people that tobacco use, drinking alcohol to excess, poor diet and the human papillomavirus (HPV), often caused by oral sex, significantly increases the risk of developing mouth cancer. Ulcers that do not heal within three weeks, unusual lumps or swellings and red and white patches in the mouth, are all signs of the disease. Our message is clear - if in doubt, get checked out."