Simultaneous incisional biopsies of labial minor salivary glands and the superficial lobe of the parotid were accomplished in patients suspicious for sarcoidosis, Sjögren's disease, sialosis and lymphomatous changes in Sjögren's disease. Labial minor salivary gland biopsies identified sarcoidosis in 11 of 31 (36%) patients, compared to 29 of 31 (93%) patients using the parotid biopsy (p = 0.005). Similarly, the labial minor salivary gland biopsy confirmed 21 of 36 (58%) patients to have Sjögren's disease, compared to 36 of 36 (100%) (p = 0.005) patients confirmed using the parotid biopsy. Five patients with normal labial salivary gland biopsies were shown to have idiopathic hypertrophic sialosis with enlarged parotids identified by the parotid biopsy. Five additional patients were diagnosed with lymphoma occurring within the parotid glands of patients with Sjögren's disease, via the parotid biopsies, that were not identifiable with the labial minor salivary gland biopsy. The parotid biopsy consistently identified each disease entity in an earlier stage, and with more evident histopathology. Neither technique showed appreciable morbidity. Three of 77 patients showed a sensory loss related to labial salivary gland biopsy. No sensory or motor nerve loss was associated with the parotid biopsy.