CDC Patient Assessment & Evaluation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which periodontal finding is most critical to document during a dental consultant's patient assessment?
- Tooth color and shade
- Probing depths and bleeding on probing (Correct answer)
- Occlusal wear patterns only
- Crown-to-root ratio on anterior teeth
Correct answer: Probing depths and bleeding on probing
Probing depths and bleeding on probing are essential periodontal parameters that indicate disease activity and guide treatment planning.
Question 2: A patient's dental chart shows furcation involvement classified as Class II. What does this indicate?
- The furcation can be probed but not entered (Correct answer)
- The furcation is completely destroyed through and through
- The furcation is only detectable by radiograph
- No furcation involvement is present
Correct answer: The furcation can be probed but not entered
Class II furcation involvement means the probe can enter the furcation horizontally but does not pass through to the other side.
Question 3: Which diagnostic tool is most appropriate for detecting proximal caries in posterior teeth during initial patient assessment?
- Periapical radiographs only
- Bitewing radiographs (Correct answer)
- Panoramic radiograph
- CBCT scan
Correct answer: Bitewing radiographs
Bitewing radiographs provide the best visualization of proximal surfaces of posterior teeth for caries detection.
Question 4: During patient assessment, a dental consultant finds a lesion with an irregular border, mixed red and white appearance, and induration. The most appropriate next step is:
- Monitor for 2 weeks and reassess
- Apply antifungal medication immediately
- Refer for biopsy (Correct answer)
- Document as benign fibroma
Correct answer: Refer for biopsy
Lesions with irregular borders, induration, and mixed erythroleukoplakia characteristics are suspicious for malignancy and require biopsy.
Question 5: In assessing a patient's occlusion, which condition describes the loss of vertical dimension due to excessive tooth wear?
- Anterior open bite
- Posterior crossbite
- Overclosure (Correct answer)
- End-to-end occlusion
Correct answer: Overclosure
Overclosure occurs when vertical dimension of occlusion is reduced due to wear, missing teeth, or parafunctional habits.
Question 6: When reviewing a patient's medical history, which medication most commonly causes gingival enlargement that must be documented during assessment?
- Metformin
- Cyclosporine (Correct answer)
- Atorvastatin
- Metoprolol
Correct answer: Cyclosporine
Cyclosporine (an immunosuppressant) is a well-known cause of drug-induced gingival enlargement along with phenytoin and calcium channel blockers.
Question 7: What does a positive vitality test result using cold indicate during pulp assessment?
- The pulp is necrotic
- The tooth has irreversible pulpitis
- The pulp responds and is likely vital (Correct answer)
- The tooth requires immediate extraction
Correct answer: The pulp responds and is likely vital
A positive response to cold testing indicates pulp vitality, though the nature of that response (duration, intensity) helps determine pulp status.
CDC Patient Assessment & Evaluation 2
Which periodontal finding is most critical to document during a dental consultant's patient assessment?