Over 34, 000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer resulting in 8,000 deaths, in this year alone according to the Oral Cancer Foundation. Your dentist is trained and experienced in detecting oral cancer. The signs of this disease typically go unnoticed and are not easily detected without professional examination. If your dentist discovers something suspicious in an area of the mouth, face, jaw, or neck, a biopsy may be performed to diagnose a possible condition. A biopsy is a surgical procedure that is used to remove a piece of tissue in an area of the body that is suspected as being diseased. Oral surgery is commonly used to treat oral cancer, and may be used as a combination treatment with radiation therapy.