Evaluation of a suspicious oral mucosal lesion.

Dentists who encounter a change in the oral mucosa of a patient must decide whether the abnormality requires further investigation. In this paper, we describe a systematic approach to the assessment of oral mucosal conditions that are thought likely to be premalignant or an early cancer. These steps, which include a comprehensive history, step-by-step clinical examination (including use of adjunctive visual tools), diagnostic testing and formulation of diagnosis, are routinely used in clinics affiliated with the British Columbia Oral Cancer Prevention Program (BC OCPP) and are recommended for consideration by dentists for use in daily practice.