Never done this before.  Do providers do a screening for signs of STD before the act begins?  I've read that 40% of the people have HPV; most don't know it.  How can I feel confident that it's not an issue?

Will she screen you for an STD?  I just look for anything unusual.  

What do you mean that you want to be confident that HPV isn't an issue?  As in you have HPV?  Or that she doesn't have HPV?

A good provider will go down and give a visual check before the activities begin. While this does provide an extra element of safety, it by no means completely protects either party from catching something. Usually the forms of HPV that produce visual symptoms (warts) are not the cervical cancer-causing strains.

The only safe thing to do is to use condoms and not do any risky behaviors.However any contact with genitals or orally is always risky. So I would say only hands are safe to be 100 percent risk free.

Wrong.  The only "SAFE" thing to do is to keep it in your pants.  But where is the fun in that?

There....did that settle your issues?