It is now estimated that over half of the North American population suffers from some degree of periodontal disease. In fact, this number is considered to underestimate the true prevalence given it represents patients who actually see dentists for care. It is the job of the entire dental team, not only the dentist but also hygienists and auxiliary staff to establish proper identification and diagnosis of the various periodontal conditions that exist in our practices to ensure supervised neglect is not occurring.

Once a foundation is understood for accurate identification, the challenge of explaining the importance of care in ways patients grasp and see reason to address is key. Without strong communication of the rationale for treatment, patient acceptance can be lacking. Discussions on how to best explain the disease process, risks of not treating and the need for care will be explored for an array of procedures to bolster maintenance programs and increase case acceptance.

We must also consider the new periodontal classification system and where it fits in terms of didactic and practical initiation for patient management, care and outcomes as well as the interconnection between one’s oral and systemic well-being.

Why don’t we feel comfortable telling people what we see? What stops us from suggesting what we believe is necessary? How often do we fall into a comfort zone of supervised neglect? This comprehensive lecture will examine these burning questions and review the major sub-divisions which fall under the overarching specialty of periodontics including management of periodontal disease/the new classification system, regeneration, mucogingival therapy eg augmentative soft tissue grafting and ressective therapy and is geared toward clinical application in today’s practice.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES:

• Understand the various subdivisions of periodontal care
• Understand the etiology of periodontal disease
• How to identify patients in your practice who require periodontal care and garner case acceptance
• Understand the key differences between the old and new classifications
• Identify and classify periodontal disease by utilizing the new staging and grading system
• Master the overlying rules which result in quick and accurate diagnosis creation
• Apply disease classification to clinical practice to improve patient care