BPE screening

BPE screening and patient management

The Basic Periodontal Examination (BPE) is a simple and rapid screening tool for the assessment of adult patients that provides basic guidance on treatment need and indicates the level of further examination needed.

The BPE does not reveal if a patient has periodontal disease, merely if pocketing, bleeding, plaque or calculus are present. 

A set of flowcharts detailing the management of patients with each BPE score has been developed to help dental teams effectively plan and deliver appropriate assessment and treatment for these patients.

Note that in all cases, the periodontal diagnosis should be confirmed and recorded in the patient's notes and the patient should be informed of the diagnosis before treatment begins.