Salivary Diagnostics

Throwback: How Do You Speak Testing?

Posted on by Leslie I. Bautista RDH
A common question of everyone doing something for the first time is “How?” Clinical laboratory testing is standard of care in the medical profession and while completing their degrees, our medical colleagues learned the “How.” For dental professionals, clinical laboratory testing is a newer concept. Clinical lab testing in dentistry marks a paradigm shift. We hope this series “How to Speak” provides insights into how to talk with your patients about optimal care. The guest author has been gi...
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Oral Cancer Detection: The Power of Knowledge, Technology, and Training

Posted on by Parul Dua Makkar, BSc, DDS, FACD, FICD
Oral cancer remains one of the most devastating diseases in dentistry, with thousands of new cases diagnosed each year. Too often, it is discovered late, when survival rates drop and treatment becomes more aggressive. Yet, as dental professionals, we are uniquely positioned to change that story. Every exam, every screening, and every conversation with a patient holds the potential to save a life. This is where modern tools like OralDNA® salivary testing make a profound difference. Saliva ...
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When Saliva Tells the Full Story

Posted on by Stephen Quimby, RDH, BSDH, MBA
We all have those patients — the ones who seem to do everything right and still end up battling stubborn periodontal disease. As Stephen Quimby, RDH, BSDH, MBA, writes in his recent Monthly Incisor article, “We’ve all had those patients—the ones who come in with picture-perfect oral hygiene but somehow still develop aggressive periodontal disease. Then, six months later, their spouse shows up with similar symptoms. Coincidence? Not quite.” That’s where salivary diagnostics is changing the...
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“Dental Hygienist Pay Up 20% Since 2020”: What That Really Means for Your Practice

Posted on by Michael Goldberg DMD
Why This Should Concern Every Dentist and Hygienist Hygienist pay has risen 20% since 2020. That sounds great—until you realize that hygiene collectible production (not projected, not on paper, but truly collectible) must also rise by 20% just to keep pace. If reimbursements and fees haven’t increased by that much—and let’s be honest, they haven’t—then hygiene risks becoming a loss leader rather than a profit center. And if hygiene isn’t profitable, opportunities for growth—for both den...
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Introducing Kenko Health, an Exciting Partnership With OralDNA for EU Logistics

Posted on by Dr. Shania Seeber
While wandering around the IFM AIC in San Diego in June 2025, I stumbled upon a stand with a company that immediately piqued my interest! The stand belonged to OralDNA® and I was very excited to meet them! In my practice and teaching, I have always advocated for oral health as being a driver of systemic health and this lab ticked all my boxes. At the time, I was busy recruiting laboratories to add to a new diagnostic dispensary I was in the process of setting up called Kenko Health (Kenko...
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Throwback: It’s Not JUST About the Science

Posted on by Michael Goldberg DMD
At a time when “evidence-based” everything is all the rage; I would like to share my experience and philosophy in regard to salivary diagnostics.  My approach comes from a non-scientific perspective garnered from my 40+ years of clinical experience.  I come at it from both a trained scientific, human, psychological, patient management and pragmatic mindset. Several years back, I had a discussion with a well-respected career academic and journal editor about “evidence-based” medicine.  He ...
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Do We Really Need Antibiotics for Periodontal Disease?

Posted on by Lee Sheldon DMD PA
When patients receive their OralDNA® MyPerioPath® test results, one of the most common questions is: “Why aren’t we prescribing antibiotics?” After all, the test identifies bacteria linked to periodontal (gum) disease. Shouldn’t antibiotics be the next step? Dr. Lee Sheldon explains that the answer often goes back to the root cause of periodontal disease itself. “Periodontal disease is the loss of support for the teeth. It comes primarily from bacteria that go below the gum line and lo...
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Interview with Dr. Jinita Parekh

Posted on by Dr. Jinita Parekh
Dr. Ron McGlennen: How were you introduced to OralDNA® salivary diagnostics, and what motivated you to incorporate it into your practice? Dr. Jinita Parekh: I was introduced to salivary diagnostics back in 2019 through an online webinar. I was intrigued by the idea of my patients having a tangible resource to help them understand periodontal disease and its significant impact on the overall health when left untreated or mismanaged. Salivary diagnostics helps me better serve my patients by e...
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From Correlation to Causation: The Impact of Oral Pathogens on Overall Health

Posted on by Erika Du Mond, DMD
Healthcare is undergoing significant changes. Since COVID-19, the experience for both professionals and patients has evolved. Where patients once followed directives without much personal involvement, they are now taking an active role in their health and the type of care they receive. The concept of informed consent is being realized as patients engage more in healthcare conversations and keenly evaluate practitioner philosophies and treatment options. Pathogens from the mouth travel sys...
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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...
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