Oral cancer is the 11th most common cancer in the world, making it a lot more common than one might expect. The average general practitioner is well equipped to do a thorough oral cancer evaluation. If you have any of these risk factors it is important to be seen as soon as possible by your general dentist. Risk factors include but are not limited to tobacco use of any form, frequent and heavy alcohol use, oral sores or ulcers that have not healed.