OralDNA® Labs’ Consultation and Clinical Coaching Services

Posted on November 3, 2023November 3, 2023 by Amanda Seaton, B.S.

With our network of OralDNA® providers growing every day, we wanted to take the opportunity to introduce our Director of Clinical Education, Diane Larson, RDH, BSDH to our new providers. Diane is an essential asset to our team and has a wealth of knowledge to share. She has over 20 years of dental experience and is a member of the ADHA and MnDHA. Although she is no longer providing patient care chair side, her passion is helping clinicians provide a higher quality of care for their patients ...

Transmissible Bacteria Between Spouses

Posted on October 27, 2023October 27, 2023 by Carey Duraiappa RDH

Challenge: My patient was very concerned about passing bacteria to his wife and young daughter. Background: Patient knew he had periodontal issues and was informed that he would likely need to see a periodontist. Patient: Age: 36 Sex: M Medical History: Essential hypertension Last Dental Exam: 6 months to a year Home Care: Good home care Chief Complaint: Needs cleaning, had been told he may need to see periodontist Other Notes: Reports increased stress over la...

The Journey to Becoming a Complex Care Hygienist

Posted on October 20, 2023December 20, 2023 by Sandy Sheffler RDH

My name is Sandy Sheffler, and I have been a registered dental hygienist in the State of Maryland since 1973. For the last 45 years, I have been very fortunate to work in very progressive dental offices. In 1988, I was introduced to Dr. Paul Keyes, dental researcher and director of the National Institute of Dental Research and the developer of the Keyes Technique – a 7 step system to periodontal health. He was among the first dentists to associate pathogenic bacteria with dental diseases. Th...

An Introduction to the History of Clinical Laboratory Testing

Posted on October 13, 2023October 13, 2023 by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH

Clinical laboratory testing isn’t something newly developed in the era of the COVID pandemic. You have been a patient throughout your life, and I can guarantee there has been a laboratory test performed on you at least once, if not every time you are seen by a medical doctor. Hippocrates, in early 300 BC, was noted to use rudimentary tests on human fluids. However, just over a century ago the first clinical laboratories appeared in modern countries such as the United Kingdom and the United S...

Consumer-Friendly Lab Reports

Posted on October 6, 2023October 5, 2023 by Kimberly Babauta, RDH, BS, BCPA

Clinical lab reports have come a long way since their inception. In the past, lab reports were typically written for healthcare professionals. They often contained medical jargon and technical terms that were difficult for patients to understand. However, with the advent of new technology as well as the increasing importance of patient-centered healthcare, the trend towards more consumer-friendly lab reports has emerged. One key factor triggering the trend towards consumer-friendly lab re...

Celebrating 7 Years of Trends in Salivary Testing!

Posted on September 29, 2023September 28, 2023 by Abby McMillan

Salivary Diagnostics has come a long way since our first blog post in 2016! There have been great strides made in research that have expanded the knowledge base and acceptance of salivary testing throughout all types of healthcare specialties. This especially applies to the awareness and importance of the oral-systemic connection. More and more medical and dental professionals are joining forces to offer their patients the best possible care using salivary diagnostic testing. Trends in Saliv...

APDP: Pillars for Success in Today’s Private Dental Practice

Posted on September 22, 2023September 21, 2023 by Susan Maples DDS

Are you ready to step up your leadership abilities? Are you ready to advance your private practice to match your dream practice? If you answered yes to either of these questions, YOU should attend the annual 2024 APDP meeting: Pillars for Success in Today’s Private Dental Practice. Join other exceptional private practice dentists, spouses, and educators/consultants for our live annual meeting March 7-9, 2024 at the Fort Lauderdale Coral Springs Hotel & Convention Center. This ex...

The Transformative Power of Salivary Diagnostics in Dentistry for Personalized Care in the Mouth-Body Connection Era

Posted on September 15, 2023September 13, 2023 by Robert Benavides DDS

There's an age-old saying, "Change is the only constant." In the field of dentistry, we've seen many evolutions, from the tools we use to the methods we apply. One such evolution that had a deep impact on our practice is the introduction of salivary diagnostics. At first glance, like many others, we considered this technology to be disruptive. Yet, upon deeper reflection and application, it has woven seamlessly into our clinical culture, enhancing patient care and experience. Periodontal dise...

Salivary Diagnostics: The Frontier Uniting Medical and Dental Professionals

Posted on September 8, 2023September 7, 2023 by Jamie Dooley RDH BIS

Your saliva has a story to tell about your health. The oral microbiome can alter the balance between health and disease, locally and systemically. Within the oral cavity, bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoa, and viruses may all be found, each having a particular role, but strongly interacting with each other and with the host, in sickness or in health. Early diagnosis of disease, quantification of disease, and prognosis of the treatment are vital steps in controlling and preventing the diseas...

Be the Guide, Not the Hero

Posted on September 1, 2023August 28, 2023 by Debbie Ozment DDS MS, NBC-HWC, ABAAHP

We care deeply for our patient family and are oral-systemic experts. Because we have invested enormous amounts of time and money in quality education, we know best what people need for strong teeth and a long health span. Our patients appreciate this and always listen intently to what we tell them they need to do. They happily reach into their wallets and hand us their credit card. Right? In my 34 years of clinical experience: Wrong! People buy what they want, not necessarily what they nee...