Intra oral and extra oral procedures are the bulk of what the Dental Hygienist

performs. This includes all scaling, polishing, flossing, probing and exploring of the

teeth. One often forgotten part of the intra oral and extra oral procedure is the intra oral

and extra oral exam. This is when the Dental Hygienist feels multiple areas in and

around the mouth, head and neck. The Dental Hygienist is feeling for lumps, bumps and

sores that shouldn’t be present. Inflamed lymph nodes can be indicative of systemic

illness which is why making sure to palpate all areas in and around the mouth, head and

neck is extremely important.

Most patients don’t realize the importance of an intra oral and extra oral exam.

It’s not uncommon for the Dental Hygienist to be the first health care provider to find oral

cancer in a patient’s mouth. Small spots that look like trauma from food or potentially

biting can actually be cancerous lesions that go undetected for years. This is a huge

reason the Dental Hygienist should be vigilant in their intra oral and extra oral exams

and procedures and make sure to take their time with every patient and be as thorough

as possible.