What is the role of PSR in referral decisions?

• A. It determines treatment planning for restorative care.
• B. It helps identify patients requiring a full periodontal exam or referral to a periodontist based on screening results.
• C. It replaces a full-mouth periodontal examination.
• D. It has no role in referrals.

Answer: (B)

PSR is a quick screening tool that gauges periodontal health and flags when a more thorough evaluation is needed. By assigning codes to each sextant during screening, higher codes indicate that a full periodontal examination should be performed and that referral to a periodontist may be appropriate. This triage function is exactly what helps decide when a patient should be referred based on screening results. It doesn’t determine restorative treatment planning, nor does it replace a full-mouth periodontal exam. It does have a role in referrals by guiding clinicians on who needs comprehensive assessment.