Abstract: A magnetic oral retractor assembly for distending the cheek of a patient undergoing an oral dental/surgical procedure comprises a gripper element mounted to a support structure external of the patient's oral cavity and an intraoral retractor device for contacting the inner surface of the patient's cheek. The gripper element and the retractor device each include a magnetic member, at least one magnetic member being a magnet and the other being either another magnet or a non-magnetized magnetically permeable member. The magnetic members are positioned on the gripper element and the retractor device for magnetically coupling the gripper element to the retractor device through the patient's cheek. The invention has application in surgical procedures to secure patient tissue magnetically in place during surgical procedures or to distend an opening in a patient's body wall during an open surgical procedure.