ADVANCED ASSESSMENT 4TH EDITION
INTERPRETING FINDINGS AND
FORMULATING DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES
BY MARY JO GOOLSBY EXAM QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS 2026
⩥ Why is it important for dentists to consider patients beyond their
teeth? Answer: Dentists treat patients as a whole, not just their teeth,
considering systemic and oral health together
⩥ What is the definition of diagnosis in medicine and dentistry? Answer:
The art or act of identifying a disease from its signs and symptoms
⩥ What are the steps in making a clinical diagnosis? Answer: Recording
identifying data, history and physical exam, chief complaint, HPI, past
medical history (family, social, occupational, dental, meds/allergies),
review of systems, physical exam, radiologic exam, differential
diagnosis, working diagnosis, lab studies, biopsy, consultation, final
diagnosis, treatment plan
⩥ What should be included when recording a patient's past medical
history? Answer: Family history, social history, occupational history,
dental history, medications, and allergies
, ⩥ Why is a review of systems important in diagnosis? Answer: Helps
identify symptoms in other body systems that may be related to the oral
lesion or disease
⩥ What types of radiologic examinations are used for oral lesions?
Answer: Radiographs, CT scans, CBCT, panoramic and periapical
imaging to evaluate lesions within or adjacent to bone
⩥ What criteria are used to classify lesions by site in the oral cavity?
Answer: Skin, lip mucosa (vermillion and commissure), buccal mucosa,
vestibule, gingiva, palate (hard and soft), tongue, floor of mouth, neck
masses
⩥ What are examples of lesion morphologies? Answer: Papules,
nodules, macules, plaques, papillary lesions, ulcerations, vesicles, bullae
⩥ How are lesions classified by color? Answer: White, red, red and
white, yellow, brown, blue, purple, gray, black
⩥ What lesion characteristics raise suspicion for malignancy? Answer:
Leukoplakia, erythroplakia, leukoerythroplakia, ulceration, persistence
>2 weeks, rapid growth, bleeding on gentle manipulation, induration,
fixation to adjacent structures
INTERPRETING FINDINGS AND
FORMULATING DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES
BY MARY JO GOOLSBY EXAM QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS 2026
⩥ Why is it important for dentists to consider patients beyond their
teeth? Answer: Dentists treat patients as a whole, not just their teeth,
considering systemic and oral health together
⩥ What is the definition of diagnosis in medicine and dentistry? Answer:
The art or act of identifying a disease from its signs and symptoms
⩥ What are the steps in making a clinical diagnosis? Answer: Recording
identifying data, history and physical exam, chief complaint, HPI, past
medical history (family, social, occupational, dental, meds/allergies),
review of systems, physical exam, radiologic exam, differential
diagnosis, working diagnosis, lab studies, biopsy, consultation, final
diagnosis, treatment plan
⩥ What should be included when recording a patient's past medical
history? Answer: Family history, social history, occupational history,
dental history, medications, and allergies
, ⩥ Why is a review of systems important in diagnosis? Answer: Helps
identify symptoms in other body systems that may be related to the oral
lesion or disease
⩥ What types of radiologic examinations are used for oral lesions?
Answer: Radiographs, CT scans, CBCT, panoramic and periapical
imaging to evaluate lesions within or adjacent to bone
⩥ What criteria are used to classify lesions by site in the oral cavity?
Answer: Skin, lip mucosa (vermillion and commissure), buccal mucosa,
vestibule, gingiva, palate (hard and soft), tongue, floor of mouth, neck
masses
⩥ What are examples of lesion morphologies? Answer: Papules,
nodules, macules, plaques, papillary lesions, ulcerations, vesicles, bullae
⩥ How are lesions classified by color? Answer: White, red, red and
white, yellow, brown, blue, purple, gray, black
⩥ What lesion characteristics raise suspicion for malignancy? Answer:
Leukoplakia, erythroplakia, leukoerythroplakia, ulceration, persistence
>2 weeks, rapid growth, bleeding on gentle manipulation, induration,
fixation to adjacent structures
