PSR Periodontal Screening Record
ADA/AAP Periodontal Screening Record (PSR) — equivalent to the BPE. Enter WHO probe codes 0–4 for all 6 sextants, add furcation/asterisk modifiers, and generate treatment need classification and specialist referral recommendation.
NMClinically reviewed byDr. Nikhil Mahajan, PT, MPT · Jan 15, 2026PSR Code Reference — Treatment Guidelines
| Code | Clinical findings | Pocket depth | Treatment need |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | No bleeding, no calculus, pockets <3.5mm. Black band fully visible. | <3.5mm (health) | None required — preventive care |
| 1 | Bleeding after gentle probing. No calculus, pockets <3.5mm. | <3.5mm (health) | Oral hygiene instruction (OHI) |
| 2 | Supra or subgingival calculus present. Pockets <3.5mm. | <3.5mm (health) | Scale and polish + OHI |
| 3 | Pockets 3.5–5.5mm. Black band partially visible. | <3.5mm (health) | Comprehensive periodontal assessment |
| 4 | Pockets >5.5mm. Black band completely subgingival. | <3.5mm (health) | Specialist referral recommended |
| * | Furcation involvement OR recession ≥3.5mm | — | Add asterisk to sextant code; increases management complexity |
PSR Periodontal Screening Record: Clinical Guide
The PSR (Periodontal Screening Record) was developed jointly by the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) as a rapid chairside screening tool for periodontal disease in general dental practice. It is functionally equivalent to the Basic Periodontal Examination (BPE) used in the UK and Europe, both using the WHO Community Periodontal Index probe with its 3.5–5.5mm black band.
How PSR Is Administered
The dentition is divided into six sextants: upper right, upper anterior, upper left, lower right, lower anterior, lower left. Each sextant must contain at least two teeth to be scored — edentulous sextants are excluded. The WHO probe is walked around each tooth in the sextant. The highest code found in that sextant is recorded. The asterisk (*) modifier is added to any sextant code where furcation involvement is detected or gingival recession of 3.5mm or more is present.
PSR vs Full Periodontal Chart
The PSR is a screening tool only — it does not replace a full periodontal chart with 6-point probing depths, recession measurements, furcation grading, and mobility scores. Any sextant scoring 3 or above (or any asterisk) requires a comprehensive periodontal assessment with a full-mouth periodontal chart before treatment planning. PSR guides the clinician to whether a full chart is needed — it does not provide the full chart itself.