Abstract
A total of 21 cases of secondary syphilis presenting mostly as painless oral lesions in ethnic Chinese are reported. All the patients were first diagnosed on presentation with oral lesions. Three cases were initially misdiagnosed as oral candidosis but confirmed as syphilitic infection after biopsy and serology. The most common site of the lesion was the tongue. The significance of oral manifestations of syphilis and the dentist's role in the early diagnosis of syphilis is discussed.
