Comprehensive Oral Exam
The American Dental Association developed these dental practice parameters for voluntary use by practicing dentists. The parameters are intended, foremost, as an aid to clinical decision making and thus, they describe clinical considerations in the diagnosis and treatment of oral health conditions. Evaluation in the context of these parameters includes diagnosis.
Additionally, parameters will assist the dental profession by providing the basis on which the profession’s commitment to high-quality care can be demonstrated and can continue to be improved.
The dental practice parameters are condition-based, presenting an array of possible diagnostic and treatment considerations for oral health conditions. Condition-based parameters, rather than procedure-based parameters, were determined to be the most useful because this approach recognizes the need for integrated treatments of oral conditions rather than emphasizing isolated treatment procedures. The parameters are also oriented toward the process of care and describe elements of diagnosis and treatment.
While the parameters describe the common elements of diagnosis and treatment, it is acknowledged that unique clinical circumstances, and individual patient preferences, must be factored into clinical decisions. This requires the dentist’s careful professional judgment. Balancing individual patient needs with scientific soundness is a necessary step in providing care.
It is understood that treatment provided by the dentist may deviate from the parameters, in individual cases, depending on the clinical circumstances presented by the patient. This should be documented and explained to the patient.
The elements of care that are described in the parameters were derived from a consensus of professional opinion. This consensus included expert opinion on the topic and the clinical experience of practicing dentists. In addition, the research literature, and parameters and guidelines of other dental organizations were reviewed.
The American Dental Association recognizes that other interested parties, such as payers, courts, legislators and regulators may also opt to use these parameters. The Association encourages users to become familiar with these parameters as the profession’s statement on the scope of clinical oral health care.
However, these parameters are not designed to address considerations outside of the clinical arena and, therefore, may not be directly applicable to all health policy issues.
Furthermore, these parameters are intended to describe the range of acceptable treatment modalities. They are intended as educational resources, not legal requirements. As such, the parameters are not intended to establish standards of dental care, which are rigid and inflexible, and represent what must be done; nor are they guidelines which are less rigid, but represent what should be done; nor are they intended to undermine or restrict the dentist’s exercise of professional judgment. In this context, considerable thought was given to the use of the verbs "may," "should" and "must." The verb "may" clearly allows the practitioner to decide whether to act.
The verb "should" indicates a degree of preference and differs in meaning from "must" or "shall" (which require the practitioner to act).
Throughout the parameter document, "dentist" refers to the patient’s attending dentist. Additionally, elements of the parameters concerned with patient consent refer to the patient’s parent, guardian or other responsible party, when the patient is a minor or is incompetent.
The Association intends to continually develop, revise and maintain parameters, in order to include all dental conditions and to accommodate advances in dental technology and science.
Additionally, parameters will assist the dental profession by providing the basis on which the profession’s commitment to high-quality care can be demonstrated and can continue to be improved.
The dental practice parameters are condition-based, presenting an array of possible diagnostic and treatment considerations for oral health conditions. Condition-based parameters, rather than procedure-based parameters, were determined to be the most useful because this approach recognizes the need for integrated treatments of oral conditions rather than emphasizing isolated treatment procedures. The parameters are also oriented toward the process of care and describe elements of diagnosis and treatment.
While the parameters describe the common elements of diagnosis and treatment, it is acknowledged that unique clinical circumstances, and individual patient preferences, must be factored into clinical decisions. This requires the dentist’s careful professional judgment. Balancing individual patient needs with scientific soundness is a necessary step in providing care.
It is understood that treatment provided by the dentist may deviate from the parameters, in individual cases, depending on the clinical circumstances presented by the patient. This should be documented and explained to the patient.
The elements of care that are described in the parameters were derived from a consensus of professional opinion. This consensus included expert opinion on the topic and the clinical experience of practicing dentists. In addition, the research literature, and parameters and guidelines of other dental organizations were reviewed.
The American Dental Association recognizes that other interested parties, such as payers, courts, legislators and regulators may also opt to use these parameters. The Association encourages users to become familiar with these parameters as the profession’s statement on the scope of clinical oral health care.
However, these parameters are not designed to address considerations outside of the clinical arena and, therefore, may not be directly applicable to all health policy issues.
Furthermore, these parameters are intended to describe the range of acceptable treatment modalities. They are intended as educational resources, not legal requirements. As such, the parameters are not intended to establish standards of dental care, which are rigid and inflexible, and represent what must be done; nor are they guidelines which are less rigid, but represent what should be done; nor are they intended to undermine or restrict the dentist’s exercise of professional judgment. In this context, considerable thought was given to the use of the verbs "may," "should" and "must." The verb "may" clearly allows the practitioner to decide whether to act.
The verb "should" indicates a degree of preference and differs in meaning from "must" or "shall" (which require the practitioner to act).
Throughout the parameter document, "dentist" refers to the patient’s attending dentist. Additionally, elements of the parameters concerned with patient consent refer to the patient’s parent, guardian or other responsible party, when the patient is a minor or is incompetent.
The Association intends to continually develop, revise and maintain parameters, in order to include all dental conditions and to accommodate advances in dental technology and science.