From Cleaning to Cause: How Salivary Testing Changes the Patient Conversation

Posted on July 24, 2026July 17, 2026 by Jonathan Evans

For many patients, the hygiene appointment still carries a simple expectation: “I’m here to get my teeth cleaned.” As clinicians, we understand that what we see in the chair often tells a much deeper story. Bleeding, inflammation, pocketing, bone loss, and recurring disease activity are not simply “cleaning issues.” They are signs of an infection-driven inflammatory condition that requires diagnosis, strategy, and targeted therapy. The challenge is helping patie...

Bleeding Gums Aren’t Just a Hygiene Issue – They’re Often a Diagnostic Opportunity

Posted on July 17, 2026April 15, 2026 by Tosha Kozloski, RDH

For a long time, bleeding gums were treated as a home care conversation. Brush better. Floss more consistently. Let’s keep an eye on it… but what are we actually waiting for? That’s how most of us were taught. And honestly, it’s exactly how I practiced early in my career too. In 2008, when I began using salivary diagnostics alongside phase-contrast microscopy, something shifted for me. For the first time, I wasn’t making educated guesses. I could identify which microbes were prese...

Periodontal Endoscopy: Seeing What Stops Periodontal Disease

Posted on July 10, 2026May 19, 2026 by Lee Sheldon DMD PA

“The critical determinant in periodontal therapy is not the technique (surgical or non-surgical) used for the treatment of the periodontal pocket, but the quality of the debridement of the root surface." — Jan Lindhe, Journal of Clinical Periodontology (1984) That statement is not philosophical; it is clinical reality. Root surfaces must be truly clean for inflammation to resolve and for periodontal stability to occur. Multiple studies have shown that clinicians cannot reliably clean b...

Throwback: Words of Wisdom by Sheena Hinson, RDH

Posted on July 3, 2026March 9, 2026 by Sheena Hinson RDH

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, we have asked the experts from our Protocol Directory, “How would they help the patient overcome their obstacle(s)?” Patient: “Will my insurance cover this?” This is one of the greater dilemmas in the dental industry. It’s a roadblock disguised as access to care for many patients. For years, they have been misle...

When Data Changes Minds: How Chlorhexidine Irrigation and Non-Surgical Laser Therapy Transformed a Resistant Microbiome in a Reluctant Patient

Posted on June 26, 2026May 20, 2026 by Robert Benavides DDS

A patient presented for a new patient exam to our practice after many years of “routine” and “regular” cleanings elsewhere. Although clinical and radiographic findings indicated chronic infection and the need for comprehensive non-surgical therapy including scaling and root planing, irrigation, and bacterial decontamination, the patient declined adjunctive care and requested to receive scaling alone. Local anesthesia was administered, and scaling and root planning w...

Virtual Interview with Dr. Rob Frey

Posted on June 19, 2026June 15, 2026 by Rob Frey, DDS, MPH

Dr. Ron McGlennen: Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you started in your profession. What is your driver to do what you do? Dr. Rob Frey: I have a passion for blending esthetic dentistry, functional dentistry, and whole-body health. My journey into dentistry started with a desire to work in healthcare in a way that combined science, artistry, and meaningful human connection. I was drawn to the idea that dentistry allows you to not only restore health, but also confidence, comfort,...

The Secret Weapon – Part Two

Posted on June 12, 2026May 19, 2026 by Michael Goldberg DMD

In Part One, we explored how salivary analysis changes the patient conversation – helping patients better understand their health and why treatment matters. But its impact goes even further – empowering both the clinical team and the practice, which we explore below in Part Two. The Real Secret Salivary analysis isn’t powerful because it’s advanced. It’s powerful because it changes the story. It moves dentistry from:“Here’s what you need.” To: “Here’s what your body is telling us—...

The Secret Weapon – Part One

Posted on June 5, 2026May 19, 2026 by Michael Goldberg DMD

Every practice owner I know is chasing the same three outcomes—whether they admit it out loud or not. Better patients. Higher acceptance of the right care—free from insurance constraints. And referrals that happen naturally, because marketing has become expensive, exhausting, and unpredictable. Yet most practices are still reaching for the same familiar tools to get there: Better scripts. Prettier brochures. Tighter financial conversations. Hel...

Throwback: Words of Wisdom from Dr. John Kempton

Posted on May 29, 2026March 5, 2026 by John Kempton DDS

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, we have asked the experts from our Protocol Directory, “How would they help the patient overcome their obstacle(s)?” When we asked Dr. John Kempton from LAUNCH Oral Systemic Health to respond to “That’s more than I was expecting,” here is his approach. When patients respond to our consultation with “That’s more ...

RDH Spotlight: Maiya White, RDH

Posted on May 22, 2026April 28, 2026 by Maiya White, RDH

Dr. McGlennen: What inspired you to pursue a career in dental hygiene, and what do you find most rewarding about it? Maiya: I became inspired by the dental hygiene profession when I realized hygienists are the link between oral and systemic health, fusing the line between the Mouth-Body Connection. Helping patients achieve the best overall health is the most rewarding part of my career. Dr. McGlennen: How has incorporating salivary diagnostics into your practice changed the way...