May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Posted on May 20, 2022May 16, 2022 by Abby Middleton

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In a recent survey of dentists done by the Journal of International Society of Preventive & Community Dentistry, 71% had anxiety-related symptoms, 60% had depression-related symptoms, and 92% had symptoms of stress. Dentists working in the independent sector had more psychological symptoms compared with those in the public sector. Overall, 92% of the dentists were experiencing some form of psychological symptoms. We must bring awareness to these stat...

Interview with Madison Afsari, RDH

Posted on April 29, 2022April 26, 2022 by Madison Afsari RDH

Dr. McGlennen: Please tell me how and why you became interested to incorporate OralDNA® testing at your practice. Madison RDH: Our dental hygiene team wanted a way to determine exactly what type of bacteria our patients have in their mouths, so we can treat them the best way possible. Dr. McGlennen: What do you see as the biggest benefits to using salivary diagnostics in your practice? Madison RDH: The biggest benefit for us is being able to reduce patients' overall bacterial load i...

How Do You Speak Testing? With Katherine Gutierrez RDH

Posted on April 22, 2022April 6, 2022 by Katherine Gutierrez

Patient Bio: Your patient is 34 years old, and she is new to your practice. She recently moved back to the area to be closer to her father who was recently diagnosed with dementia. Her partner and two children will also be joining your practice soon. She is not taking any medications and her last dental visit was before she moved about 9 months ago. She presents with these clinical signs. How would you introduce therapy including MyPerioPath® to this patient? In our practice, the doc...

Interview with Brenda Nishimura DDS

Posted on April 8, 2022April 7, 2022 by Brenda Nishimura

Dr. McGlennen: You started using OralDNA® Labs testing services in December of 2016. How were you introduced to OralDNA® salivary diagnostics? Brenda Nishimura DDS: We learned about OralDNA® Labs and salivary testing from Doug Thompson at the Wellness Dentistry Network, which we have been a member of since its inception. Dr. McGlennen: You utilize MyPerioPath® and OraRisk® Candida on a consistent basis for your patient care. What distinguishes a patient for MyPerioPath® testing? How do...

Words of Wisdom from Lee Sheldon DDS

Posted on March 4, 2022March 1, 2022 by Lee Sheldon DMD PA

Every patient is different. Overcoming a patient’s obstacles to treatment may take some finesse. The diagnosis and treatment plan are typically the easier task. In this series, Words of Wisdom, we have asked the experts from our Protocol Directory “How would you help your patient overcome their obstacle(s)?” Patient: “But it doesn’t hurt!” Dr. Lee Sheldon: Helping the patient see what might be harming them even though it doesn’t hurt them can be more easily achieved by using a phase co...

How do You Speak Testing? With Dr. Michael Perpich

Posted on February 4, 2022February 3, 2022 by Michael Perpich DDS

Patient Bio: A 24-year-old male new patient, who recently graduated is seeking treatment. His chief complaint is crowding and a bothersome #14 which had endodontic treatment 7 years prior. His periodontal clinical signs are listed below. The patient hasn’t seen a medical doctor in two years as his studies were very demanding. His blood pressure today is 108/73. How would you introduce therapy including Alert 2™ to this patient? In reviewing your exam, it looks like you have several a...

Vitality Mindset Made Simple Podcast

Posted on January 21, 2022January 6, 2022 by Debbie Ozment DDS MS, NBC-HWC, ABAAHP

We all want to enjoy a life of relevance and energy. But, stress, toxins, and chronic inflammation can slowly plunder vitality. Staying healthy can often seem confusing, expensive, and no fun. The mental, physical, and emotional stressors of life are unavoidable, causing fatigue and accelerating aging. Confusing health information makes it difficult to know what to do or even where to start. Life is just too short to miss out on vitality. As a clinical dentist for over 36 years, I understand ...

How Do You Speak Testing? With Lisa Proffitt RDH

Posted on December 10, 2021December 9, 2021 by Lisa Proffitt, RDH, BS

Hypothetical Patient Bio: Your 57-year-old male patient of 12 years presents today with the clinical signs listed below. His updated medical history includes medication for coronary artery disease. The implant on #8 was placed 2 years ago and seems stable. However, his wife states that he has had several months of bad breath. How would you introduce therapy including MyPerioPath® to this patient? As a dental hygienist with extensive periodontal experience, the bacterial levels for th...

How Do You Speak Testing? With Rosse Lustina RDH

Posted on November 12, 2021December 6, 2021 by Rosse Lustina RDH

Patient Bio: Mr. Joe Doe is 64 years old and has been a patient of record for 25 years. He complies with 3-month periodontal maintenance since his active therapy 5 years ago. His home care consists of brushing with an electric toothbrush in the evening and flossing 5x/week. He takes a blood pressure medication and several for cholesterol. His deceased father had cardiac bypass surgery at age 67. How would you introduce therapy including MyPerioPath® to this patient? First, following t...

How Do You Speak Testing? With Donna Shook RDH

Posted on October 29, 2021October 21, 2021 by Donna Shook RDH

Patient Bio: New patient is a 66-year-old female. Per her records, her last active periodontal therapy was over 10 years ago. Her previous dentist just retired, and she is looking for a new dental home. Her home care consists of brushing twice a day with occasional flossing. The patient started smoking at age 18 and currently smokes 1 pack per day. She has expressed an interest in quitting. Medical history includes osteoporosis. How would you introduce therapy including MyPe...