Scaling and Polishing
A preventive and hygiene procedure involving the removal of supragingival calculus and plaque deposits followed by polishing of tooth surfaces.
Full Definition
Scaling and polishing (S&P) is a routine dental hygiene procedure in which calcified deposits (calculus or tartar) and soft deposits (plaque and stain) are removed from tooth surfaces using hand scalers, ultrasonic instruments, and polishing prophylaxis paste. In NHS and private documentation, scaling and polishing must be distinguished from 'root surface debridement' (RSD), which targets subgingival deposits in periodontal disease management and is a separate, more extensive procedure. Editors should note that NICE guidance has questioned the evidence base for routine polishing and that contemporaneous clinical notes should justify the frequency and extent of the procedure. 'Scale and polish' (abbreviated S&P) is the colloquial form; formal records should use the full term.
Usage
Usage note: Use the full term in formal records. Do not conflate with 'root surface debridement', which is a separate, more intensive periodontal procedure with its own clinical code.
In Context
- "Scaling and polishing was completed at the recall visit; OHI given and patient advised on interdental cleaning." — Clinical notes
- "The report describes 'scaling and polishing' where clinical records indicate subgingival treatment; the descriptor should be revised to 'root surface debridement'." — Clinical audit report