Author: Diane Larson RDH, BSDH

Oral HPV in Clinical Practice: Screening, Risk, and Early Detection

Posted on by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH
April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month – a timely reminder that HPV is the leading factor and part of the cause of oral cancers, with about 70% of cases linked to the virus.(1) This marks a shift from the historical focus on tobacco and alcohol abuse as the cause. Today, understanding oral HPV transmission, persistence, and testing is an important stance in one's ability to provide cutting edge patient care. How Is Oral HPV Transmitted? Oral HPV is a common virus that can be transmitted t...
Read More

Update to MyPerioPath® Antibiotic Options: What You Need to Know

Posted on by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH
An updated MyPerioPath® Antibiotics Guide is now in effect following our most recent clinical review. These periodic reviews are an essential part of our commitment to evidence-based care, ensuring the recommendations outlined in the report reflect the most current evidence and published literature. As a result, you may notice minor adjustments in some of the antibiotic options recommended, intended to support effective treatment while promoting thoughtful, responsible use.  In particular...
Read More

Why Test? Rethinking Periodontal Disease Through a Medical Lens

Posted on by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH
One of the most common questions I hear is: “How is testing going to change the therapy provided?” My answer? “It most likely isn’t.” Wait—what?! Then why bother testing at all? That’s a fair question, and one worth unpacking. Testing tools, such as MyPerioPath®, should not replace clinical diagnostics or significantly change a patient’s treatment plan. Rather, the use of a laboratory diagnostic test has the intent to confirm, but sometimes refute what you're seeing clinically. Practic...
Read More

Practicing Dental Medicine: The Partnership with a Clinical Laboratory

Posted on by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH
If you are reading this article, you were likely born in a country and era where medical testing is a routine part of healthcare. From birth, data collection begins with tracking weight and height, followed by simple blood tests to screen for potential concerns. As we progress through life, additional tests are conducted based on signs and symptoms, reflecting a reactive approach essential for treating existing conditions. On the other hand, some tests are used proactively to intercept disea...
Read More

Olympic Spirit: Achieving Gold in Healthcare

Posted on by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH
As the Olympic Games end, the world pauses to celebrate the victories and remarkable achievements of the globe’s finest athletes. The medals, the records shattered, and those unforgettable moments of triumph all deserve our admiration. However, beyond these glorious celebrations, we must also acknowledge the sheer courage it takes to try. Olympians weren’t born as perfect athletes; they started somewhere, faced countless obstacles, and transformed their failures into steppingstones toward gr...
Read More

The Winning Team: The Healthcare Provider & The Clinical Laboratory

Posted on by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH
Decades, possibly even a century, of periodontal research have led to modern-day periodontology. This research supports identifying the bad guys; reducing their presence should lead to less or no disease. This simple equation has proven to be successful, yet there are still more questions to be asked and answers to be discovered. Before clinical laboratory testing, healthcare providers could only assume the presence of these culprits in periodontal disease. Today, however, we can confiden...
Read More

An Introduction to the History of Clinical Laboratory Testing

Posted on by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH
Clinical laboratory testing isn’t something newly developed in the era of the COVID pandemic. You have been a patient throughout your life, and I can guarantee there has been a laboratory test performed on you at least once, if not every time you are seen by a medical doctor. Hippocrates, in early 300 BC, was noted to use rudimentary tests on human fluids. However, just over a century ago the first clinical laboratories appeared in modern countries such as the United Kingdom and the United S...
Read More

AAOSH Hot Topics 2023: Don’t Be Left Out in the Cold—Attend!!!

Posted on by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH
The American Academy for Oral Systemic Health began in 2010 with a simple mission: Connecting medicine and dentistry to save lives. Since the beginning, professionals from all aspects of health care have been sharing their expertise to achieve the mission of saving lives. If you are reading this blog, you may have previously attended an AAOSH event or at minimum you have thought about attending. But, new breakthroughs are constantly being made in this field. Here’s a taste of what you will e...
Read More

There is No Failure, Only Feedback

Posted on by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH
As 2022 ends, most people generally reflect on what was accomplished, maybe started but not finished, successes or failures, and what is to come in 2023. If 2022 didn’t meet your expectations, 2023 is just around the corner with endless possibilities. However, before we think about next year, let’s reflect on if failures are truly failures. In a recent podcast by Jim Kwik, the quote “There is no failure only feedback” resonated with me. As an extension of every OralDNA® provider’s team, d...
Read More

Why Vitamin D? Why Not!

Posted on by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH
The human body is magnificent. For as much as we know about human physiology, there is an even greater number of processes that we don’t fully understand. I am grateful for the researchers/investigators that continue to explore what makes us function. One of my personal mottos, and I hope you add it to yours, is “The more we know, the better we can be and the better we can treat our patients.” The importance of Vitamin D is one of ever-evolving understandings. The more we discover, the more w...
Read More