General dentists often encounter patients with intraoral lesions or unusual intraoral conditions. This evidence-based Quality Resource Guide briefly reviews many common lesions and conditions typically discovered in a general dentistry practice. The QRG discusses the disorders&#39\; signs, symptoms, etiopathology and clinical features, including color images to assist the clinician in identification. Predisposing risk factors, specific therapeutic prescriptions and appropriate supportive measures are introduced to optimize the possibility of successful outcomes. Indications for referral are included for those situations that require the expertise of a specialized healthcare provider. The QRG provides all dental staff members with information to understand better the common lesions and conditions that can arise in the oral cavity. It is also an essential resource for the provider to assess and manage patients with intraoral lesions.

Pregnancy poses a unique set of management considerations for the dental practitioner who has an obligation to provide safe and effective dental care that addresses the mother&rsquo\;s needs and ensures the well being of the developing child. A recent National Consensus document concluded that dental care can be safely delivered during all trimesters of pregnancy. Unfortunately, patients often avoid routine dental care during pregnancy and many healthcare providers continue to believe dental procedures are either unnecessary or unsafe during pregnancy. The pregnant patient should be educated on the importance of establishing and maintaining good oral health for the well being of both herself and her developing child. Withholding necessary dental care during pregnancy is neither recommended nor justified. This Quality Resource Guide (QRG) briefly summarizes the physiologic changes associated with pregnancy and reviews contemporary dental management considerations for the pregnant and nursing patient, including vital sign monitoring, patient positioning, treatment timing, radiography, drug administration and pregnancy associated oral pathology. The QRG will serve as an important resource for all dental offices as they strive to improve care for pregnant patients and allow these patients to make better health decisions.

The dental record is the official document that houses all pertinent information about a patient receiving care in a dental practice. It archives historical and diagnostic information, as well as details diagnoses, treatment plans, consents to treatment, and the specifics of care provided. A properly constructed and maintained dental record allows concise and efficient communication between the dentist and the patient, as well as between the dentist and other health care professionals. A well-documented record may be the dentist&rsquo\;s best defense in a case of alleged malpractice and may serve as a key component of a forensic investigation. This Guide provides straightforward, concise guidance in constructing and maintaining a dental record that will meet contemporary standards of care, as well as federal patient privacy standards. Since general dentists often find it difficult to document occlusal status in an efficient manner, a helpful &ldquo\;Rapid Occlusal Assessment&rdquo\; template is provided as an appendix.

The stage at which oral cancer is diagnosed is the most important prognostic factor in predicting patient survival and the dental practitioner is often in the best position to first identify these cancers. Yet, only 30% of patients currently diagnosed with oral cavity and pharynx cancer have early-stage disease. This Quality Resource Guide (QRG) discusses the causes of delayed diagnosis for oral cavity and pharynx cancer, describes the current standard for identifying premalignant and malignant lesions, reviews the essential principles for cytology-based, light-based, vital stain-based and molecular-based diagnostic adjuncts and applies objective criteria to assess the clinical utility and value of newly marketed adjunctive diagnostic aids for oral cancer. A convenient table contains the characteristics and lists the manufacturers of all generally available diagnostic adjuncts. A careful analysis concludes that all available adjunctive techniques are associated with a high burden of false positive results and that routine use is not recommended. The QRG is an important reference for the dental clinician as he/she establishes or modifies protocol for assessment of suspicious oral lesions.