HOSA Dental Terminology Practice

What specialty of dentistry focuses on the diagnosis of dental and oral diseases?

1. Oral pathology

2. Incisional biopsy

3. Frenectomy

4. Excisional biopsy

The correct answer is: Oral pathology

The specialty that focuses on the diagnosis of dental and oral diseases is oral pathology. Clinicians in this field are trained to identify and manage various conditions affecting the oral cavity, including diseases of the teeth, gums, and other tissues in the mouth. They utilize diagnostic techniques such as biopsies and imaging to assess abnormal growths and conditions, which enables them to form a correct diagnosis and suggest appropriate treatment options. Other options relate to specific procedures rather than a specialty. An incisional biopsy is a technique used for obtaining a sample of tissue from an oral lesion for further examination. A frenectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of a frenulum, which is a small fold of tissue that secures or restricts the movement of a mobile organ in the body, such as the lip or tongue. An excisional biopsy is a procedure used to remove an entire lesion for examination. While these procedures are important in the diagnosis and management of oral diseases, they are not specialized fields of study focusing on diagnosis like oral pathology is.