Interview with Rachel Kashani-Legler, RDH, RF, BSDH, MS

Posted on January 5, 2024January 5, 2024 by Rachel Kashani-Legler, RDH, RF, BSDH, MS

Normandale Community College has a commitment to excellence in dental hygiene education and has been training their students on salivary diagnostics since 2010. We asked Rachel Kashani-Legler, RDH, RF, BSDH, MS, to share her insight into their program and how it has been affected by the introduction of salivary diagnostics: Diane Larson, RDH: What are the most significant changes or trends you've observed in salivary testing over the last 13 years? Rachel Kashani-Legler, RDH: It is truly ama...

Interview with Rosie Jimenez RDH

Posted on May 28, 2021May 28, 2021 by Rosie Jimenez RDH

Dr. McGlennen: Tell me how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics. Rosie RDH: Let me begin by sharing; I have been very fortunate to work in practices that support my passion for treating periodontal disease. My patients have benefited through the communication, assessment, and treatment I provide. I know there are hygienists who work under different conditions. My advice: stay strong, keep educating yourself on new technologies and keep asking to use these technologies. Our patients deser...

A Periodontist’s Nonsurgical Approach to Periodontal Disease: Part 2

Posted on June 21, 2019May 20, 2021 by Lee Sheldon DMD PA

Last week I wrote on how MyPerioPath® testing impacts patient diagnosis. Now I will address another aspect of the report, the systemic antibiotic option. There are some “purists” out there who say they don’t need antibiotics, and that they only need clinical evaluation to treat a periodontal infection. I can’t see the bacteria. I don’t know the involvement or virulence of these pathogens. While I strongly believe that antibiotics are overused in health care, when there is a true infection of...

A Periodontist’s Nonsurgical Approach to Periodontal Disease: Part 1

Posted on June 14, 2019May 20, 2021 by Lee Sheldon DMD PA

I am a periodontist who has been using OralDNA® testing to determine periodontal pathogens for many years. Our practice consists of two periodontists and a restorative dentist. Most of our patients have major dental needs such as implants, bone grafts, and restorative needs, as well as a large population with chronic periodontitis. Philosophically, I believe that saving teeth is the role of a periodontist. Too many teeth are being extracted that can be saved in health for many years. There a...

Do You Speak HPV? Part 1

Posted on April 5, 2019May 20, 2021 by Kimberly Babauta, RDH, BS, BCPA

Dental professionals are often uncomfortable approaching patients on topics that are unfamiliar or that feel outside the realm of “traditional” dentistry. One such topic is Human papillomavirus (HPV). As a hygienist of 40 plus years, I can tell you this topic never came up in my education. Several years ago, I had to educate myself about this near epidemic viral infection. Most importantly, I had to step out of my comfort zone to find a way to share this crucial knowledge with my patients...

My Visit to OralDNA® Labs

Posted on March 1, 2019May 20, 2021 by Barb Krueger, RDH, MA

Have you ever wondered what happens to your patient’s saliva sample once it arrives at OralDNA® Labs? Many PDS®-supported offices have been using OralDNA® Labs to analyze the saliva of their patients, relative to the patient’s periodontal infection. This service gives them more information about the types and severity of a patient’s infection, which is the cause of periodontitis. Additionally, however, it tells us something about the bacterial load and a patient’s inflammatory response, w...

Interview with Ashley Leiterman

Posted on February 22, 2019May 20, 2021 by Ashley Leiterman RDH

Dr. McGlennen: Tell me how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics. Ashley RDH: I use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics to assist with the diagnosis and treatment planning of periodontal disease. The MyPerioPath® and Alert 2™ testing options are typically the tests we recommend most frequently. Dr. McGlennen: What are the top two things to consider when you select a patient for testing? Ashley RDH: I consider the history of their disease. I routinely recommend testing for any patient who ...

MyPerioProgress® – Your Road Map

Posted on January 25, 2019May 19, 2021 by Kimberly Babauta, RDH, BS, BCPA

Several years ago, Dr Herb Bader wrote: “The literature supports the advantages of determining the causative organisms in the biofilm, that induces the destructive inflammatory response (Haffajee, Tanner, Teles andSocransky, 2006). In addition, there is a considerable body of evidence supporting the accuracy and sensitivity of salivary testing as being virtually identical to sulcular samples. Work by Giannoble, Wong and others (2008) have confirmed this. Data from thousands of such tests has...

Genetic Testing with OralDNA® Labs

Posted on January 4, 2019May 19, 2021 by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH

Genetic testing refers to the analysis of human DNA, and has become commonplace in the practice of medicine. According to the National Institute of Health, in the future “genetic testing will be an important part of health care for many individuals…we will live in a time of more effective ‘personalized medicine’. Information from genetic testing will help to detect risk for disease, guide strategies for maintaining health, offer more accurate diagnosis, and guide treatment choices for a wide...

OraRisk® Caries: Identifying Bacteria for Risk Assessment

Posted on December 28, 2018May 20, 2021 by Matt Smith MS

Dental caries is defined as the progressive destruction of a tooth and is considered a major health issue in both adolescents and adults, in which reportedly 90% of the population is affected1. Cavities are formed when acid erodes the hard tissues of the teeth (enamel, dentin and cementum). Acid is produced in the mouth when certain bacteria, such as Streptococcus mutans, ferment sugars into acid. For decades, S. mutans was believed to be the main bacteria involved in caries initiation ...