Educated in Dental Hygiene, Practicing Dental Medicine

Think about a smile, what does it mean to you? As a dental professional it likely means more than friendliness and beauty. Does the word medicine come to mind? I have been practicing dental hygiene for five short years and have begun to understand the degree that dental and medical are interchangeable. Dental medicine is a key term used when you understand the interchangeability. I believe in dental medicine. As a clinician, most of us have heard our patients say, “There is just a little ...
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immun19™: OralDNA® Lab’s NEW COVID-19 Neutralizing Antibody Test

In the ever-changing world of COVID, we know that the more knowledge and up-to-date information we have at our fingertips, the more peace of mind and increased security we have. The past year and a half has been a trying time for everyone. Have you wondered if you are protected against the virus? You got the vaccine, but how effective was it? Will a previous infection mount the correct response when you encounter the virus again? I’m sure many, if not all, of us have had these questions go t...
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Interview with Michael Carter MD

Dr. McGlennen: Who/what introduced you to OralDNA® Labs’ services? Michael Carter MD: I was introduced to OralDNA® Labs testing during an oral health summit about 3-4 years ago. As I listened to Dr. Bale and Dr. Doneen express how important testing for periodontal pathogens is, I became inspired to learn more about the oral microbiome and the oral connection with systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, arthritic conditions, and neurodegenerative processes. Many people think b...
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Why Join the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH)?

The length of my dental career has been shadowed by the declining health of our population. With great sadness, I have witnessed my patients arriving with new lists of lifestyle-related diagnoses and an assortment of medications, prescribed as “band-aids” for those ailments. In congruence, the ever-increasing prevalence of oral disease (caries, periodontitis, oropharyngeal cancer, and occlusal disease) has not surprised me. As a dedicated friend to my declining patients, I started looking fo...
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Periodontal Inflammation Primes the Systemic Innate Immune Response

This week, Dr. Ronald McGlennen - President & Medical Director of OralDNA® Labs provides a review of the recently published article "Periodontal Inflammation Primes the Systemic Innate Immune Response” written by N. Fine, J.W. Chadwick, C. Sun, K.K. Parbhaker, N. Khoury, A. Barbour, M. Golberg, H.C. Tenebaum, and M. Glogauer. This article appears in the Journal of Dental Research, October 2020. The complete article can be accessed here. Enjoy the VLOG and please feel free to share any...
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StellaLife®: Technology Advances in Antimicrobial Rinse

Over my 40 total years as a dental hygienist with 30 years as an educator and consultant, I have seen amazing advances in science and technology. Hand instruments were the only option in my early years as a clinical hygienist. Was there an understanding of the oral-systemic link? Absolutely not. We are so fortunate that science and technology continue to evolve. My career was transformed when I began training with the JP Institute. With an understanding of the host-modulated response and ...
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The Necessity of Two Patient Specific Identifiers

All healthcare industries strive for safety and quality control, especially when handling patient information. With the OralDNA® ordering process, some may wonder why it is so important to have two matching patient specific identifiers on the OralDNA® specimen and test requisition. In this week’s blog, we will share with you the importance of patient specific identifiers and how you can accurately identify your patients’ samples. According to the College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidel...
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A Higher Standard of Care

For many years now, research has shown that there is a mouth body connection. In other words, what is happening in the mouth can impact what is happening with the body! In order for someone to have good health, they need to have good oral health. Unfortunately, periodontal disease is silent, as it does not hurt until it is severe. The minimal pain factor as periodontal disease develops may be why 80% of the United States population is suffering from periodontal disease. In the next paragraphs ...
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Doctor-Patient Communication: Basic Expectations and Principles

«The patient will never care how much you know until they know how much you care. » - S.Terry Canale, MD Compassionate and effective doctor-patient communication is a key factor influencing therapeutic relationships. Today’s doctors face numerous challenges that impede patient-doctor relationships. For example, they must maintain clinical productivity while effectively treating their patients. Can they afford less time with each patient while doing so? Effective doctor-patient commu...
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Interview with Tamara Garrett DDS

Dr. McGlennen: How are you utilizing OraRisk® COVID-19 PCR testing in your practice? What has been the team response? Tamara Garrett DDS: When my office had to close on March 20th for the COVID pandemic, I was in a complete state of shock. My practice is a second home to me, and my patients and staff are my extended family. I knew I could not stay in a stupor for long and had to put on my “boss” hat to come up with a strategy. I spent hours learning from ZOOM dental seminars, reading j...
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