Start practicing

Pathology · patient case question

What type of examination should you perform?

Patient case: New patient with decay on #14 and #19

Scenario: A NEW patient presents with two decayed teeth (#14 and #19) and wants her teeth checked. NO radiographs were provided in the patient box.

  1. Emergency palliative examination
  2. Periodic oral evaluation
  3. Limited oral evaluation focused on the problem
  4. Comprehensive oral evaluation
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D. Comprehensive oral evaluation

  • A. Emergency palliative treatment addresses acute pain only and is not what this patient is requesting.
  • B. A periodic evaluation applies to an ESTABLISHED patient of record returning for recall.
  • C. A limited/problem-focused evaluation addresses one specific complaint; it does not meet the standard of care for a new patient requesting complete assessment.
  • D. Correct. A NEW patient with no prior records who asks to have ALL her teeth evaluated requires a COMPREHENSIVE oral evaluation — full charting, periodontal assessment, occlusal analysis, soft-tissue and cancer screening, and a complete radiographic survey.

Practice Pathology questions Pathology study notes

More Pathology practice questions