Amber Young

I'm an oral cancer survivor who has dedicated the past 11 years to patient advocacy in the dental industry. After my diagnosis, I worked with the nonprofit Oral Cancer Cause as their keynote speaker and national spokesperson, and then I created and founded Saving Face, another nonprofit focused on oral cancer education and patient awareness. Not very many oral cancer survivors retain their ability to speak, so I use my voice for the lack of theirs. With mouth reconstruction and losing pieces of their tongues or palates, a lot of oral cancer survivors are no longer able to speak clearly. My work involves coordinating national events and awareness events throughout the country, attending dental conferences, and presenting on stage about the nonprofit and my survivor story in TED Talk style. Prior to entering the dental industry, I was a Fortune 500 retail manager with Barnes & Noble College Division, managing college bookstores all across the country. After my cancer diagnosis, I got my certification as a health coach, and then my certification as a life coach and personal trainer to commit my journey to health and to educate others on the best way to take care of themselves through their journeys. Oral cancer is actually a top 10 cancer now and the only cancer that has continuously risen instead of decreased. The best thing we could do is early detection, and educating not only dental practices but the patient about what that looks like is going to be what saves lives and saves faces along the way.