Collaboration

“New Hat” for the RDH— Oral Systemic Health Educator & Certified Lifestyle Coach

Posted on by Rick Hutchins DDS
Why would the Complete Health Registered Dental Hygiene team find themselves in inter-professional collaboration with the Certified Lifestyle Coach? The answer begins with understanding that the war raging inside of us is between chronic inflammation and the body’s own host response. We’re not aware of this war because it doesn’t hurt, and we can’t see its effects since it’s going on at a cellular, even a molecular level. The mouth happens to be a major battleground in this war. Unlike a ...
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Rethinking the Dental Examination

Posted on by Susan Maples DDS
It’s 2018 and I am dumbfounded by the number of adult new patient appointments that begin in the hygiene chair. We all recognize this is an ‘old school’ practice, but maybe we still secretly believe it’s the right thing to do for our patient. Maybe we somehow believe it’s financially beneficial to the practice. Neither of these could be further from the truth. The dental examination of today is all about the patient of today. From a health standpoint, the patient of today is more complica...
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Causality– It Was Only a Matter of Time

Posted on by Richard H. Nagelberg, DDS
Trends in Salivary Testing Throwback: We as dental professionals have a significant role in combating the number one cause of death: cardiovascular disease. “High-risk periodontal pathogens contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis” is a powerful piece and I recommend you read it. There is scientific evidence that [periodontal disease] PD caused by the high-risk pathogens can influence the pathogenesis triad in an adverse manner. With this appreciation, it is reasonable to stat...
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Everyone Has A Story

Posted on by Kriston Reisnour RDH, BSDH, CCSH, COMS
Every patient that sits in your dental chair has a story. All stories have a beginning, middle, and end, as does life. We have the wonderful opportunity to help our patients be able to live a long and productive one. Jumping to the middle of my story, my mom died at the age of 58 and my dad at age 60, both from end stage vascular diseases. They didn’t get a chance to enjoy their children into their adult years, get time with their grandchildren, or even meet their great grandchildren.  I, li...
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Establishing New Treatment Objectives for Periodontal Disease

Posted on by John Kempton DDS
The principles of leadership that drive achievement have the practitioner state the objectives prior to initiating an action plan. Success is more certain and predictable, while any short falls become measurable and remedies are tied to the metrics of the initial objectives. The traditional treatment objectives for periodontal therapy have revolved around certain soft and hard tissue architectural end points and bleeding on probing. These standards have been in place for about 100 years a...
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The Co-management of an Esophageal Cancer Survivor

Posted on by Camille Luke RDH MSDH
Background: The patient is a 75-year-old female with a history of esophageal cancer in 2013. The origin of the cancer was determined to be lichen planus. Surgical removal of the lesion occurred and no reconstructive surgery was needed. However, post-surgery to present date, the patient experiences severe acid reflux and sleeps with her head elevated. She has great home dental care and follows a 3-month periodontal maintenance. During the head and neck exam, no significant findings were disco...
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Managing Atherosclerotic Disease: Medical and Dental Collaboration- The New Standard of Care

Posted on by John Kempton DDS
Medicine and dentistry have long been aware of the connection, association, and direct links between high-risk periodontal pathogens and cardiovascular disease. Knowledge alone has a limited potential to change chronic disease outcomes unless it leads to new clinical practices. Effective and proven new protocols to identify and mitigate virulent periodontal microbes are available today. A small percentage of dentists have implemented these practices and the majority of physicians are unaware...
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