Periodontal Treatment Protocols

Comment by Dental Sales Rep on March 7, 2011 at 8:12am

not many do

Comment by Richard McManus, DMD on March 7, 2011 at 12:59pm

I don't have a written restorative protocol either so what's your point?

Richard McManus, DMD.

Comment by Calvin Pepper on March 7, 2011 at 9:35pm

The point of the matter is...what happens if you have a "substitute hygienist" or a "new hygienist" in your practice...??? Wouldn't it make things easier to have a consistent treatment regimen for each patient presenting with a 5 mm bleeding pocket with horizontal bone loss? Especially if you have say 3 different hygienist in your practice. One who may have 20 years experience, one with 2 years experience, and the other hygienist with 7 years experience? And each one of these hygienist's being trained at different schools of hygiene?

Comment by Richard McManus, DMD on March 8, 2011 at 7:49am

The point is they have all been trained to do the same thing but in different ways. It would be like having your company requiring sales rep drive the same route to and from each & ever office contact; it would defeat the day to day variables in work and remove the human element in decision making. Keep in mind these are trained & licensed employees not on the job trainees. These hygienists do not want to be tied to any rigid "protocol" and even suggesting this tells me you have never even discussed this issue with a hygienist! Having such a "protocol" would detract in hiring hygiene personal.

Richard L. McManus, DMD.

Comment by Martie A George on March 14, 2011 at 11:04pm

I would not necessarily state that hygienist are trained in different ways. There is a standard protocol that is supposed to be followed by the American Periodontal Association. Each hygienist is trained in how to deliver soft tissue management based on this treatment regimen. The fact is, once a hygienist is hired to work either ful time, part time, or even substitute, it is the dentist that runs the practice that dictates treatment. It doesn't even matter how long a hygienist has been in practice either. The fact is many offices run like a tooth factory, having the hygienist do 30-40 minute prophy's which include x-ray, priliminary exam, and dental charting.most hygienist get burned out fast and do "minima" periodontal treatment, if any dependent on the practice. Other offices exist that run longer hygiene schedules, but these doctor's insist that the hygienist take x-rays, dental chart, perio chart, and utilize an intraoral camera to document each surface in the treatment plan, and do prophylaxis or 2 quadrants of SCRP within an hour treatment regimen, turn over the room, reschedule for six months, it is rediculous! So to answer your question, there is a standard of care implemented by the ADA that all hygienist are taught in hygiene school, there is no standard once they enter into the hygiene feild. I had the chance to work for the military in which I only was required to do patient treatment. 80% of my treatment centered around perio treatment and soft tissue management. I also had the oppurtunity to develop a periodontal program for a private practice that ran on a 45 minute hygiene schedule. The girl that replaced me asked me how I kept up with the demand? I said good luck. She is still there, the lack of quality care is not.

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