--- title: Is using the Teal Wand the same as going to the doctor for my screening? description: Yes. Teal Health uses the same FDA-approved primary HPV test as the doctor’s office when testing your sample at the lab - it is simply a different way of collecting the sample. --- [Skip to content](https://support.getteal.com/is-using-the-teal-wand-the-same-as-going-to-the-doctor-for-my-screening#main-content) [![Teal-Health-Help CenterLogo\_Primary-RGB](https://support.getteal.com/hubfs/Teal-Health-Help%20CenterLogo_Primary-RGB.svg)](https://support.getteal.com/?hsLang=en) - [Top 6 FAQs](https://support.getteal.com/what-are-the-top-questions-people-have-about-screening-and-mailing-the-sample) - At-Home Screening Show submenu for At-Home Screening - [Teal Wand](https://www.getteal.com/teal-wand) - [Primary HPV Testing](https://www.getteal.com/primary-hpv-test) - [When to Screen](https://www.getteal.com/cervical-cancer-screening-guidelines) - [At-home vs In-clinic](https://www.getteal.com/how-self-collect-compares) - [Clinical Trial](https://www.getteal.com/research/u-s-clinical-study-demonstrates-94-of-women-prefer-at-home-cervical-cancer-screening) - About Us Show submenu for About Us - [About Teal Health](https://www.getteal.com/about-us) - [Meet Our Providers](https://www.getteal.com/medical-providers) - [Equal Care](https://www.getteal.com/equal-care-for-all) - [Research](https://www.getteal.com/teal-research) - [News](https://www.getteal.com/news) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Top 6 FAQs](https://support.getteal.com/what-are-the-top-questions-people-have-about-screening-and-mailing-the-sample) - At-Home Screening Show submenu for At-Home Screening - [Teal Wand](https://www.getteal.com/teal-wand) - [Primary HPV Testing](https://www.getteal.com/primary-hpv-test) - [When to Screen](https://www.getteal.com/cervical-cancer-screening-guidelines) - [At-home vs In-clinic](https://www.getteal.com/how-self-collect-compares) - [Clinical Trial](https://www.getteal.com/research/u-s-clinical-study-demonstrates-94-of-women-prefer-at-home-cervical-cancer-screening) - About Us Show submenu for About Us - [About Teal Health](https://www.getteal.com/about-us) - [Meet Our Providers](https://www.getteal.com/medical-providers) - [Equal Care](https://www.getteal.com/equal-care-for-all) - [Research](https://www.getteal.com/teal-research) - [News](https://www.getteal.com/news) - [getteal.com](https://www.getteal.com/) [getteal.com](https://www.getteal.com/?hsLang=en) How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Teal Health Help Center](https://support.getteal.com/?hsLang=en) 2. [Self-Collecting with the Teal Wand](https://support.getteal.com/self-collecting-with-the-teal-wand?hsLang=en) # Is using the Teal Wand the same as going to the doctor for my screening? Yes. The lab uses the same [FDA-approved primary HPV test](https://diagnostics.roche.com/se/sv/products/params/cobas-hpv.html) as the doctor’s office when testing your vaginal sample collected with the Teal Wand - it is simply a different way of collecting the sample. [Primary HPV testing](https://www.getteal.com/post/primary-hpv-test-vs-pap-smear?hsLang=en) is the most sensitive screening test for cervical cancer, and is recommended by the leading guidelines, [American Cancer Society](https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/cervical-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/cervical-cancer-screening-guidelines.html)and the [United States Preventive Services Task Force](https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/cervical-cancer-screening) (USPSTF). While we might still refer to the cervical cancer screening as the 'Pap smear' or 'Pap test,' almost all doctors are using HPV testing, and primary HPV, which is what your Teal Wand sample is tested with, is the recommended way to screen. 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