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Oral health screening, consultant dental examination for caries, gum disease and oral cancer.

A comprehensive oral health screening combines dental caries detection, periodontal charting, oral cancer screening, orthodontic assessment and preventive advice. Modern private pathway includes intraoral cameras and digital X-rays.

A consultant dentist performing an oral health screening in a private London clinic

Indicative pricing

What a private oral health screening costs in London.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers.

In short

£120–£220, with findings often the same day.

Appointment type Indicative range
Standard oral health screening £120–£220
Screening + digital X-rays £180–£320
Screening + intraoral photography £200–£360
Comprehensive new-patient dental examination £280–£450
Screening with oral cancer risk assessment £220–£400
Urgent same-week screening £250–£500

Prices vary by clinic, whether digital X-rays or intraoral photography are added, and whether a full new-patient examination is included.

Key facts

What an oral health screening actually covers.

The screening is a structured consultant dental oral health exam - caries, periodontal, oral cancer and orthodontic assessment in one appointment.

  • Definition

    A consultant dental oral health examination - caries, gum disease and oral cancer, in a single appointment.

  • What it includes

    Caries detection, periodontal charting and structured oral cancer screening.

  • Imaging

    Digital X-rays and intraoral photography, used selectively.

  • BPE charting

    Basic periodontal exam sextant-by-sextant scoring, as standard.

  • Personalised prevention plan

    Written prevention advice tailored to your caries and periodontal risk.

  • Oral cancer screening for high risk

    Particularly important for smokers and heavy alcohol users - structured mucosal exam every screening.

What it shows

What an oral health screening picks up.

The screening is designed to catch dental, periodontal and oral cancer disease early - these are the findings we see most.

  • Caries (early / advanced)

    Detection of early and advanced dental caries on visual, tactile and radiographic examination.

  • Gum disease (periodontitis)

    BPE-based assessment of gingivitis and periodontitis, with severity graded and plan attached.

  • Oral cancer or pre-malignant lesion

    Structured oral cancer screening of the mucosa, tongue, floor of mouth and lymph nodes.

  • Wisdom-tooth impaction

    Assessment of third molars for impaction, symptoms and need for oral surgery review.

  • TMJ dysfunction

    Evaluation of the temporomandibular joint for pain, clicking and limited opening.

  • Malocclusion

    Assessment of bite and alignment, with orthodontic referral if indicated.

  • Broken or worn teeth

    Identifies cracked, chipped or attritional wear that needs restorative planning.

  • Red flag: persistent oral ulcer > 3 weeks - 2WW head-and-neck oncology

    A non-healing oral ulcer beyond three weeks warrants urgent two-week-wait head-and-neck oncology referral.

Treatment options

What follows an oral health screening.

The screening is the entry point - what each treatment on your plan is actually for.

  • Fluoride varnish

    Topical fluoride application to remineralise early enamel lesions and reduce caries risk.

  • Restorative dentistry (fillings, crowns)

    Composite fillings, inlays, onlays and crowns to restore decayed, cracked or worn teeth.

  • Periodontal treatment (scaling, root planing)

    Non-surgical periodontal therapy for gingivitis and moderate periodontitis.

  • Wisdom-tooth surgery

    Referral for surgical removal of symptomatic or pathological third molars.

  • Orthodontics referral

    Onward orthodontic assessment for malocclusion, crowding or aesthetic concerns.

  • Oral surgery / biopsy

    Referral for biopsy of a suspicious lesion or specialist surgical intervention.

  • Head-and-neck oncology MDT

    Two-week-wait pathway into head-and-neck oncology when malignancy is suspected.

  • Structured dental follow-up

    A recall schedule tailored to your caries and periodontal risk profile.

Safety and red flags

A safe examination - with a clear list of when to escalate.

The screening itself is non-invasive. The practical points are what to bring, what to disclose, and the red flags that need urgent onward referral.

  • Non-invasive examination

    A visual, tactile and photographic assessment - no injections, no drilling at the screening itself.

  • Digital X-rays only when indicated

    Low-dose digital radiography is used selectively, not routinely, and only when it changes management.

  • Oral cancer screening for smokers and heavy alcohol users

    Structured mucosal screening is particularly important where tobacco or alcohol raises risk.

  • No fasting

    Eat, drink and take medication as normal.

  • Persistent oral ulcer > 3 weeks is a red flag

    A non-healing ulcer beyond three weeks needs urgent two-week-wait head-and-neck oncology review, not a private wait.

  • Leukoplakia and erythroplakia

    White or red patches that don’t rub off are pre-malignant markers and need specialist assessment.

  • A normal screening is not a full clear

    A normal screening doesn’t exclude every dental or oral condition - some findings only reveal themselves on imaging or over time.

  • Bring prior imaging and dental records

    Comparison against previous X-rays and clinical notes materially sharpens the plan.

  • Medication review

    Bisphosphonates, antiresorptives and anticoagulants materially change the surgical plan and must be disclosed.

Red flags - urgent onward referral

Any of the following should trigger a two-week-wait head-and-neck or oral surgery pathway.

  • Oral squamous cell carcinoma
  • Persistent oral ulcer > 3 weeks
  • Leukoplakia / erythroplakia
  • Neck lump with oral lesion
  • Non-healing extraction socket
  • Facial numbness
  • Salivary gland enlargement
  • Suspected osteoradionecrosis
  • Suspected medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw

Reading your report

An oral health report can look intimidating. It isn’t.

Whatever the finding, the report keeps to the same four parts.

A consultant dentist reviewing digital X-rays and intraoral photographs on a clinical workstation at a UK private clinic

A quiet reminder

The report is written for your doctor, not for you - and that’s normal.

If you would like us to talk you through it before your follow-up, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    History and risk factors

    Your details, dental and medical history, and the risk factors - smoking, alcohol, family history - that shape interpretation.

  2. 02 Technique

    Examination and imaging used

    Which parts of the examination were performed, and which digital X-rays or intraoral photographs were taken.

  3. 03 Findings

    Caries chart, BPE score, mucosal findings

    Tooth-by-tooth caries chart, sextant-by-sextant BPE score, and a description of any mucosal or soft-tissue findings.

  4. 04 Impression

    The plan: read this first

    Prevention advice, restorative plan, periodontal plan, and any onward referral - read this first.

Sources

Clinical references used to prepare this guide.

Last reviewed 2026-07-30. Next review 2027-07-30. Reviewed by Pulse Atlas Editorial Board, .

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Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about oral health screening.

Quick answers on cost, referrals, oral cancer screening, recall intervals, and when a suspicious lesion needs urgent onward referral.

  • What is an oral health screening?

    A comprehensive dental appointment that combines dental caries detection, periodontal (gum) charting, oral cancer screening, orthodontic assessment and preventive advice - the modern private pathway also includes intraoral cameras and digital X-rays.

  • Is oral cancer screening included?

    Yes. A structured mucosal examination of the tongue, floor of mouth, palate, cheeks and lymph nodes is part of every screening, and is particularly important for smokers and heavy alcohol users.

  • Do I need a referral?

    No. Oral health screenings are self-referral.

  • How often should I have an oral health screening?

    The recall interval depends on your caries and periodontal risk - typically every 6–12 months for adults, and every 3–12 months for children, in line with NICE NG205 guidance.

  • What happens if a suspicious lesion is found?

    A non-healing oral ulcer beyond three weeks, leukoplakia, erythroplakia or a suspicious mass triggers a two-week-wait referral to head-and-neck oncology for biopsy and specialist assessment.

Related tests

Looking for a different test?

In practice, in London

Why private oral health screening moves differently in London

With oral health screening, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it - not whether the scan is available. On the NHS, oral health screening typically sits behind a triage step and a wait that can stretch from a few weeks into months. In London’s private sector, the same appointment often lands within days. That speed matters when symptoms are disrupting work, sleep, or a plan you’d already committed to - and it’s the single most common reason people call us in the first place.

A private oral health screening pathway in London usually looks like this: an initial consultation, any diagnostics booked at a nearby facility (most within Zone 1 or 2), and a written report sent to you and your GP within a few days. The consultants we work with hold NHS posts alongside their private lists, which keeps the standards consistent across both settings. For oral health screening specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.

There are a lot of consultants in London who can technically handle oral health screening. Fewer who do it week in, week out for the exact question you’re bringing. We spend most of our time working out which is which - and being straight when a different test or a different specialist would serve you better. Everything runs to CQC, GMC and Royal College standards; the choice is about fit, not floor.