RDH Spotlight: Heidy Esperansa Garcia, RDH

Posted on February 27, 2026February 5, 2026 by Heidy Esperansa Garcia, RDH

Dr. McGlennen: What inspired you to pursue a career in dental hygiene, and what do you find most rewarding about it? Heidy: Growing up, I had the most amazing relationship with my dental office, and it started with my dental hygienist. She was kind, knowledgeable, and made each visit feel comfortable, which sparked my interest in dental care. I loved the idea of being able to help people feel confident about their smiles and promote overall health, so I decided to pursue a career in dental ...

Throwback: Oral Gut Connection Case Study with Medical Emphasis

Posted on February 20, 2026February 12, 2026 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...

Secure Your Spot: Pure Perio in Nashville

Posted on February 13, 2026February 5, 2026 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...

Throwback: Why? What? How?

Posted on January 30, 2026January 29, 2026 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...

When a “Hopeless” Tooth Isn’t Hopeless

Posted on January 23, 2026January 21, 2026 by Lee Sheldon DMD PA

A 45-year-old woman arrived in our office in significant pain. The day before, she had seen a dentist for a painful lower left central incisor. The recommendation was straightforward: extract the tooth and then see a periodontist. She refused. Instead, she searched for another option and drove nearly 50 miles to our office. The Clinical Picture She was hitting tooth #24 every time she closed her mouth—and it hurt badly. The gingival tissue was visibly swollen, and the tooth had Clas...

RDH Spotlight: Mohini Patel

Posted on January 16, 2026January 8, 2026 by Mohini Patel

Dr. McGlennen: What inspired you to pursue a career in dental hygiene, and what do you find most rewarding about it? Mohini: I pursued a career in dental hygiene because I was drawn to having a career involved in directly helping patients improve their daily habits and long-term health. I enjoy working directly with patients, am detail-oriented, and have a strong interest in periodontal care. The most rewarding aspect is empowering patients to feel more confident about themselves as well as...

Unexplained Infertility, Explained?

Posted on January 9, 2026January 8, 2026 by Dr. Neusha Najafi

Up to 30% of infertility cases remain classified as “unexplained” despite comprehensive reproductive evaluation. While this label often implies idiopathic dysfunction, it may instead reflect the limitations of current diagnostic frameworks, especially those that overlook chronic inflammation and microbial dysbiosis as contributors to reproductive failure. Emerging evidence suggests that oral health, systemic inflammation, and shared microbial exposure between partners may play a meaningfu...

Throwback: Light the Flame of Awareness

Posted on December 26, 2025December 11, 2025 by Brittany Hill RDH

Incorporating OralDNA® testing into our practice has been a game changer. It finally gives us, the clinicians, an advantage when getting ahead of this progressive disease–periodontal disease. The research is mounting, periodontal pathogens do not just exist in your oral cavity; the bacteria can enter the bloodstream through inflamed periodontal tissue. Hence, the mouth is connected to the body and so are the pathogens. It is all linked. Now with MyPerioPath® results to show what periodontal ...

Throwback: How Do You Speak Testing? With Janice Kaeley DDS, MSD

Posted on December 19, 2025December 16, 2025 by Janice Kaeley DDS, MSD

Patient Background: A 41-year-old female patient is seen for a new patient exam. Her last dental appointment was 10 months ago. Today her primary concern is occasional bleeding gums with brushing. Currently, there are no medical conditions reported and no medications or supplements reported. The patient indicated she may be experiencing peri-menopausal symptoms, but this is not confirmed by a medical doctor. Upon dental examination, generalized 4mm to 6mm pockets were revealed with generaliz...

Wellness Dentistry Summit 2025 – Livestream Virtual Ticket

Posted on November 28, 2025November 26, 2025 by Nicki Mackey

December 5–6, 2025 | Virtual Hosted by The Wellness Dentist Institute, the Wellness Dentistry Summit 2025 is your chance to learn, grow, and connect with the leaders driving the future of wellness-focused dental care. Whether you’re advancing your clinical skills, refining your business strategy, or looking to empower your team, this event is designed to equip you with actionable insights you can implement immediately. This sought after event has already sold out for in perso...