Abstract: A protective dental shield made from a flexible and resilient material with a planar biting portion for placement between the occlusal surfaces of the upper and lower teeth of a patient and a pair of side walls projecting up and down from the spaced apart side edges of the biting portion to form a barrier between the side surfaces of the upper and lower teeth and the patient's soft tissue areas of the inner cheeks, tongue or lips. The protective dental shield is also provided with an extra-oral portion that extends beyond the patient's mouth when the shield is in place.