COVID-19: A Primer for the Dental Professional Part 1

Posted on May 29, 2020May 20, 2021 by Ronald C. McGlennen, MD

The pandemic caused by the virus, SARS-CoV-2, has descended upon us with a speed and seriousness unprecedented in our modern history. The virus causing the disease called COVID-19 has been revealed to be both stealthy as well as terribly dramatic. The virus and the disease have taken not only the health and lives of many in our country, but also, in the effort to stem the pandemic, our economy as well. As we look forward to an ebb in the number of newly afflicted persons, it is important to ...

A Progressive Oral Wellness Center in Rural America

Posted on May 22, 2020May 20, 2021 by McCreight Progressive Dentistry Team

In our rural practice (McCreight Progressive Dentistry) in Northwest Colorado, we see periodontal disease on average in about one of every two patients, or around 46%. This is representative of the CDC statistic as posted in the May 2015 Journal of Periodontology. Whenever we read these statistics, we are puzzled. In an industrialized nation where home care tools and dental technologies are readily available, how can there be so much disease? Here are some measures (newer technologies) we ha...

Communication is Key

Posted on May 15, 2020May 20, 2021 by Traci Warner, RDH

Periodontal disease is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory diseases in the United States and it is a key indicator of other systemic diseases. Dentistry has a significant role in reducing the impact of chronic disease in patients who trust their dental teams to guide them to total body health. From the first call and through every step of the patient experience, such as reviewing the medical history, the conversation should include the oral systemic connection. Dental teams a...

Root Canal Therapy

Posted on May 8, 2020June 17, 2025 by Kelly Blodgett DMD

“News flash! All root canal-treated teeth are infected!” If you are a licensed dentist or endodontist, that statement is likely to strike a nerve. Without question, our scientific understanding of bacterial infectious diseases in the oral microbiome has progressed more than ever in recent years. Testing services such as OralDNA® Labs, aid us by analyzing the pathogens living in the oral environment: I would call it a modern wonder. With so much progress in oral health care, it would stand to...

Captain Your Ship and Business

Posted on May 1, 2020May 20, 2021 by Jeanette Kern DDS

In the forty-five years that I have been in dentistry, we have been directly hit by some unique storms such as Hepatitis B in the 70’s, inflation rates of 18% in the 80’s, AIDS/HIV 80’s-90’s, Gulf War 1990, 9/11 of 2001, SARS ’02, the Great Recession ’08-09, H1N1 ’09, MERS ’12, and now COVID-19 in 2020. This is not our first American storm; this is more like a tsunami/hurricane/and flood all rolled into a tiny 0.12-micron virus. It is a public health and an economic crisis combination. I pur...

Critical Thinking: The Systemic Antibiotic Option

Posted on April 24, 2020May 20, 2021 by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH

The MyPerioPath® test provides a wide variety of valuable information for the clinician to consider in the care of their patients. In one example, the Treatment Consideration section of the report provides a recommendation for a regimen of oral antibiotics when the test results show bacteria levels greater than the black lines, called the therapeutic threshold. Where did this recommendation come from? This choice of drug, along with the recommended doses, are based on published research of...

Salivary Diagnostics for Gum Disease and Oral Cancer Risk Assessment

Posted on April 10, 2020May 20, 2021 by Idelle S. Brand DDS, ND

Clinical laboratory testing is a common practice for the medical professional. DNA testing, including genetic testing, has led to healthier patients. Cross over to dentistry, and let’s review 2 examples of what’s available. Presently, in my office, we perform MyPerioID® IL-6, a test for the genetic marker interleukin 6 (IL-6) to screen for genetic risk of periodontal disease and a viral DNA test for the human papilloma virus (HPV) to screen for risk of oral cancer. The collection is relativ...

Interview with Brooke Armour, RDH

Posted on March 20, 2020May 20, 2021 by Brooke Armour RDH

Dr. McGlennen: Tell me how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics. Brooke RDH: I use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics to test new patients, patients that have clinical signs of periodontal disease, or patients with a complex medical history. Dr. McGlennen: What are the biggest benefits to using salivary diagnostics? Brooke RDH: The benefits of salivary diagnostics are being able to quantify periodontal disease, having something to physically show the patient about their periodontal dise...

How do you speak Pregnancy and Periodontal Disease with your patients?

Posted on March 13, 2020August 14, 2024 by Nancy Wahl RDH, BS MC

Dr. McGlennen: The oral microbiota changes when women become pregnant, and levels of periodontal pathogens increase1. During pregnancy, periodontal inflammation worsens, mostly due to increased levels of A.a., P.g., F.n. and P.i.2. Among these oral pathogens, there is a marked risk of infection of the maternal blood and the placenta, which leads to an increase in pre-term labor, lower birth weight and even the chance of fetal loss due specifically to the bacteria P.g. and F.n.3,4. Further, the...

Interview with the Searcy Dental Team

Posted on March 6, 2020May 20, 2021 by Searcy Dental

Dr. McGlennen: Please tell me how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics in your practice. Searcy Dental team: We use salivary diagnostics as standard protocol in our periodontal therapy program, especially MyPerioPath®. These results help us, and patients, understand exactly which pathogens are present and at what levels. When a patient has responded to our applied therapy, we are able to measure the amazing results by post treatment testing. Dr. McGlennen: What are the top two thing...