oral systemic connection

Most of My Career, I Measured the Wrong Thing (And How OralDNA Forced Me to Change My Scorecard) – Part Two

Posted on by Jonathan Evans
Last week, we explored the awakening that comes from seeing the unseen. This week, Jonathan dives into the hard truth: a technically perfect Scaling and Root Planing (SRP) doesn’t always equal success. We’ll see how embracing an outcome-focused mindset changes not just the approach to care, but the results and the satisfaction hygienists and patients alike experience. The Hard Truth: Great SRP With Bad Outcomes Is Not a Win This is where my mindset truly flipped. I had to admit to myself: ...
Read More

Most of My Career, I Measured the Wrong Thing (And How OralDNA Forced Me to Change My Scorecard) – Part One

Posted on by Jonathan Evans
For most of my 32 years as a hygienist, my “success” lived in my treatment notes. How many quads of Scaling and Root planing (SRP) did I do this week? How much calculus did I remove? How clean did those roots look and feel when I finished? If I walked out of a room drenched in sweat with polished roots and detailed charting, I felt like I’d done my job. Box checked. Next patient. But there was always this low-level itch in the back of my mind: If I’m doing such great work, why do...
Read More

The Oral–Gut–Cancer Connection: Why the Mouth Is a Gateway to Systemic Health

Posted on by Tabatha Pittman, PA-C
Emerging research confirms that the oral cavity is not biologically isolated from the rest of the body. The mouth serves as a primary gateway to the gastrointestinal tract and immune system, continuously introducing microbes, inflammatory signals, and immune-modulating compounds into systemic circulation. Each day, approximately 1–1.5 liters of saliva containing oral bacteria is swallowed, creating a direct microbial bridge between the oral microbiome and gut microbiome. This oral–gut axi...
Read More

The Link Between RA and Periodontal Disease: Bidirectional Cycle/Shared Inflammation

Posted on by Dr. Jinita Parekh
The Challenge: A 29 year old female patient came in extremely concerned with her bleeding gums and wondering if that is also related to her diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. The Background: Age: 29 Sex: Female Medical History: Elevated Rheumatoid factor and undergoing further diagnosis to conclude diagnosis for RA  Last Dental Exam: 2021 Home Care: Manual toothbrush 2x daily, floss occasionally Chief Complaint: bleeding gums, sensitive gums Clinical Assessment: ...
Read More

Throwback: Oral Health Contributing to Health Issues

Posted on by Sarah Tevis, DDS
Challenge: Due to dental anxiety, specifically the fear of being overwhelmed with dental problems, the patient finally took the necessary steps to address her chief complaint, “My gums are bleeding, and my teeth are sensitive. I want a more holistic approach to dental care. I feel like my mouth is contributing to my health issues.” Background: Age: 37 Sex: Female Medical History: Severe eczema since childhood, long term topical and systemic steroid for skin has resulted in s...
Read More

RDH Spotlight: Oanh Pham, CPhT, RDH, BSDH

Posted on by Oanh Pham, CPhT, RDH, BSDH
Dr. McGlennen: What inspired you to pursue a career in dental hygiene, and what do you find most rewarding about it? Oanh: I’ve always had a strong passion for helping others and initially pursued a career in nursing. Over time, I realized a career in dental hygiene has a better work life balance while still allowing me to make meaningful impacts on patients’ overall health. What I find most rewarding is knowing that my role goes beyond oral health. By treating periodontal disease, I’m also...
Read More

Medical Dental Collaboration for 2026

Posted on by Patti DeMatteis, RDH, AS
Healthcare outcomes often suffer due to "siloed" practices. While the average patient may see five to eight different providers concurrently, they frequently fail to achieve optimal health because those providers are not working together. Congratulations, OralDNA testers on diagnosing and managing periodontal disease using objective salivary diagnostics. With an effective protocol in place, you are likely seeing a significant reduction in pathogens for most patients. However, when results...
Read More

Throwback: Oral Gut Connection Case Study with Medical Emphasis

Posted on by Debbie Ozment DDS MS, NBC-HWC, ABAAHP
The Challenge: This apparently healthy, muscular college student was suffering from brain fog, alternating constipation and diarrhea, bloating, decreased appetite, and low energy. He reports having trouble concentrating, which is interfering with his work. He was referred to me by his mother, who attended my classes on Vitality. The Background: Age & Gender: 23-year-old Male Medical History: Insignificant; no chronic illnesses. No pharmaceutical medica...
Read More

Secure Your Spot: Pure Perio in Nashville

Posted on by Thomas Nabors DDS - Andrea Owens RDH
We’re excited to share an upcoming continuing education experience that brings periodontal care back to its roots while embracing where dentistry is headed next. Pure Perio, led by Dr. Tommy Nabors and Andrea Owens, RDH, BS, OFMT, is designed to reshape how dental teams understand and treat periodontal disease by taking an oral-systemic, evidence-based approach. About the Course Pure Perio delivers a comprehensive framework for treating periodontal disease as a systemic health issue, not a...
Read More

Throwback: Why? What? How?

Posted on by Michael Goldberg DMD
WHY?…WHAT?…HOW? This is a philosophy that is often taught in dental and hygiene schools: Diagnose, Treatment Plan, then Treat. And yet, immediately after this is taught, a focus is placed on learning treatment, or the HOW. And then upon graduation the focus also becomes on treatment and production. The diagnosis (WHY) and planning (WHAT) become secondary. They’re only an avenue to an end…Production, a means to an end. That’s where the money is. In a nutshell, that’s the problem with our...
Read More