Primary squamous cell carcinomas of the major (parotid and submandibular) salivary glands are uncommon neoplasms. Statistics contrary to that statement are tainted by the inclusion of mucoepidermoid carcinomas and, in the instance of the parotid gland, by metastatic carcinomas. The true frequency is less than 1% of all tumors in the parotid gland and approximately 4% for the submandibular gland.