Easier & More Efficient Periodontal Exams

Perio exams are important, but they can be a hassle. Luckily, there’s a solution.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost half of adults ages 30 and older are likely to have periodontal disease.¹ Yet perio exams are often cut down or skipped if time is short. One study of over 2,000 dental records across 36 dental practices revealed that only 16 percent of the records had complete or adequate periodontal data.² Seeing perio exams as expendable does a disservice to patients — they are critical for early detection of gum disease, and mere visual inspection may be deceiving. Skipping them means your practice also misses out on potential revenue.

Yet for dental practices that do perform perio exams regularly, it can be time-consuming and onerous. Traditional methods of recording perio results are slow and inefficient, with increased risk of virus transmission. For instance, if the hygienist is performing the exam as well as entering the results, it takes much longer and can introduce infection risks from touching the computer or paper chart. Alternatively, if a dental assistant is recording the results, another person in the operatory can increase infection risk, as well as waste a whole set of personal protective equipment (PPE) for that limited use.³ One estimate puts the additional cost of PPE for assisted perio exams at approximately $200 per month, or over $2,500 per year.

So how can you include perio exams in hygiene appointments — without all of the downsides?

Technology Can Help

Dentrix Ascend Voice Perio, powered by Bola AI, offers a way to reduce the time and cost of perio exams while increasing the safety and satisfaction of both clinicians and patients. Dentrix Ascend Voice Perio integrates seamlessly into your existing Dentrix Ascend software with minimal setup time, using advanced technology to adapt to users rather than forcing users to do all the adapting.

Average charting time for re-care patients was reduced by half with Dentrix Ascend Voice Perio, according to a recent study with a leading DSO. Unlike legacy perio recording systems, the use of AI means that Voice Perio does not need to be “trained” to the speaker’s voice, nor is any proprietary hardware required. The hygienist can speak normally at a conversational volume, avoiding awkward affectations while helping protect patient privacy. Voice Perio also automatically filters out background noise — including music and television — so you can record results without compromising patient comfort. Plus, calling out perio results, along with the patient-friendly summary provided by Voice Perio, opens the door to patient education on what the numbers mean, which in turn increases patient satisfaction and acceptance of treatment plans.

With speech recognition of up to 99.9 percent accuracy — regardless of speaker, accent, phrasing or microphone — Dentrix Ascend Voice Perio can help make perio exams faster, safer and easier. Why choose between efficient procedures and complete patient care when you can have the best of both worlds?

Watch this short video to learn more about how Dentrix Ascend Voice Perio can help make perio exams more efficient — without sacrificing accuracy, thoroughness or safety. You can also visit the Dentrix Ascend Voice Perio website or call 855.232.9493 to speak to a specialist today.

¹CDC: Periodontal Disease

¹RDH, “Importance of Probing”

²Bola AI, “How can we save PPE in Hygiene?”