Basic Periodontal Examination (BPE)

Six-sextant periodontal screening — highest code 0 to 4

Upper right sextant

0 — Healthy: no bleeding, no calculus, pockets < 3.5 mm

1 — Bleeding on probing; pockets < 3.5 mm

2 — Calculus or plaque-retentive factor; pockets < 3.5 mm

3 — Probing depth 3.5–5.5 mm (coloured band partially visible)

4 — Probing depth > 5.5 mm (coloured band disappears)

Upper anterior sextant

0 — Healthy: no bleeding, no calculus, pockets < 3.5 mm

1 — Bleeding on probing; pockets < 3.5 mm

2 — Calculus or plaque-retentive factor; pockets < 3.5 mm

3 — Probing depth 3.5–5.5 mm (coloured band partially visible)

4 — Probing depth > 5.5 mm (coloured band disappears)

Upper left sextant

0 — Healthy: no bleeding, no calculus, pockets < 3.5 mm

1 — Bleeding on probing; pockets < 3.5 mm

2 — Calculus or plaque-retentive factor; pockets < 3.5 mm

3 — Probing depth 3.5–5.5 mm (coloured band partially visible)

4 — Probing depth > 5.5 mm (coloured band disappears)

Lower right sextant

0 — Healthy: no bleeding, no calculus, pockets < 3.5 mm

1 — Bleeding on probing; pockets < 3.5 mm

2 — Calculus or plaque-retentive factor; pockets < 3.5 mm

3 — Probing depth 3.5–5.5 mm (coloured band partially visible)

4 — Probing depth > 5.5 mm (coloured band disappears)

Lower anterior sextant

0 — Healthy: no bleeding, no calculus, pockets < 3.5 mm

1 — Bleeding on probing; pockets < 3.5 mm

2 — Calculus or plaque-retentive factor; pockets < 3.5 mm

3 — Probing depth 3.5–5.5 mm (coloured band partially visible)

4 — Probing depth > 5.5 mm (coloured band disappears)

Lower left sextant

0 — Healthy: no bleeding, no calculus, pockets < 3.5 mm

1 — Bleeding on probing; pockets < 3.5 mm

2 — Calculus or plaque-retentive factor; pockets < 3.5 mm

3 — Probing depth 3.5–5.5 mm (coloured band partially visible)

4 — Probing depth > 5.5 mm (coloured band disappears)

Furcation involvement in any sextant (*)

Select a code for all six sextants

Evidence

Original publication

Ainamo J, Barmes D, Beagrie G, Cutress T, Martin J, Sardo-Infirri J. Development of the World Health Organization (WHO) Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN). Defined the six-sextant screening examination with codes 0–4 using a graduated periodontal probe; the highest sextant code determines management need.

International Dental Journal, 1982

Open source

Guideline

British Society of Periodontology. BSP implementation of the 2017 classification: the Basic Periodontal Examination (BPE) as a screening tool. Codes 0–2 are managed with oral-hygiene instruction and removal of plaque-retentive factors; codes 3 and 4, or any furcation involvement (*), warrant a full periodontal assessment with radiographs and 6-point pocket charting.

Last reviewed: 2026-09

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MedScore is an educational and clinical decision-support tool. It does not provide a diagnosis, a treatment, or a drug-dosing recommendation, and it does not replace clinical judgement or local guidelines. Confirm every result against the original source before acting on it. The treating clinician remains responsible for all decisions.