Cervical cancer continues to be a major epidemiologic problem in developed and underdeveloped nations alike. Current screening practices rely on cervical cytology for the early detection of cervical neoplasms. It has now been demonstrated that over 99% of cervical carcinomas are positive for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA. This article reviews the currently available methods of HPV detection as well as emerging strategies for the implementation of HPV testing into clinical practice.