Colposcopy and biopsy were performed in 97 patients whose referral smears showed mild dysplasia (CIN 1). Of 97 women, 40 (41.2%) had a biopsy or a colposcopic examination alone considered normal, 36 (37.1%) had CIN 1 or HPV changes, 12 (12.4%) had CIN 2 and 9 (9.3%) had CIN 3. No invasive cancer was detected. This data suggest that, if colposcopy resources are available, repeat smear alone is inadequate to follow women who have a mild dysplasia smear.