What is the recommended order of sextants when performing PSR?

• A. Begin at a designated starting sextant (e.g., maxillary right posterior) and move through the sextants in a standardized sequence around the mouth.
• B. Start with anterior sextants and move posteriorly.
• C. Traverse sextants in random order.
• D. Code only sextants with teeth.

Answer: (A)

PSR is done in a systematic sweep of all six sextants, so you don’t miss any area. Start at a designated sextant and move around the mouth in a fixed, standardized sequence. This consistent path makes the exam efficient and the recording of codes uniform across visits and patients. Beginning at a chosen starting point (for example, the maxillary right posterior) and following the same route around the mouth helps orientation and reduces the chance of overlooking a sextant. Starting with anterior sextants or using a random order can lead to gaps or inconsistent documentation, so a fixed order is preferred.