title: The surgical management of the oral soft tissues: 3. Biopsy.
abstract: Offering patients a broad range of services, whilst inspiring patient confidence and reducing their anxiety and waiting time, is an advantage for a general dental practitioner wishing to perform simple biopsies. But which lesions need a biopsy, which lesions are suitable to biopsy in practice, and how should this be done? This article covers the basic knowledge and technical skills required to perform simple biopsies in general practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recognition of lesions which require a biopsy is fundamental to general dental practice. It is vital that the general dental practitioner can recognize potential lesions, treat or biopsy what is possible in practice, and know when and what to refer.
authors.affiliation: The School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B4 6NN, UK.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jephcott
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation