Lockdown Delays Led to Surge in Oral Cancer Cases 2 Mar 2021 There has been a wave of oral cancers being caught at later stages because dentists did not pick up early signs due to Chinese coronavirus lockdown closures. The UK suspended dental services during the first shutdown in March 2020, with access to regular appointments not resumed until June 8th. Matthew Garrett from the Royal College of Surgeons has said that because many patients were forced to use phone or video conference consultations in all but serious dental cases and emergencies, dental practitioners were not able to pick up on the subtle changes to soft tissue in the mouth, or other neck or head conditions which could have meant catching some cancers early.