Careful assessment of the periodontal tissues is an essential component of patient management. The BPE is
a simple and rapid screening tool that is used to indicate the level of further examination needed and provide
basic guidance on treatment needed. These BPE guidelines are not prescriptive but represent a minimum
standard of care for initial periodontal assessment. BPE should be used for screening only and should not be used
for diagnosis.
-
The clinician should use their skill, knowledge and judgment when interpreting BPE scores, taking into account factors that may be unique to each patient.
Deviation from these guidelines may be appropriate in individual cases, for example where there is a lack of patient engagement. General guidance on the
implications of BPE scores is indicated in the table below. The BPE scores should be considered together with other factors when making decisions about
referral (as outlined in the companion BSP document “Referral Policy and Parameters of Care”).
Guidelines for the use of BPE in younger patients can be found in the BSP document “Guidelines for periodontal screening and management of children and
adolescents under 18 years of age.
”
The UK Implementation guidance of the 2017 Classification for periodontal and peri-implant diseases and conditions maps to the BPE guidelines and is
documented in Periodontal diagnosis in the context of the 2017 classification system of periodontal diseases and conditions – Implementation in Clinical
Practice, T. Dietrich, P. Ower, M. Tank, N. X. West, C. Walter, I. Needleman, F. J. Hughes, R. Wadia, M. R. Milward, P. J. Hodge, I. L. C. Chapple & on behalf
of the British Society of Periodontology, BDJ volume 226, pages 16–22 (11 January 2019) https://www.nature.com/articles/sj.bdj.2019.3
