Periodontal Misdiagnosis: It Could Cost You!

Presented by: Doug Thompson, DDS, FAAMM, ABAAHP

Original Publication Date: April 10, 2026 (Virtual Spring Seminar 2026)

Course Description:

With estimates as high as 65% or more of the population having periodontal disease and 95% of the population having an oral inflammatory condition needing attention, it has never been more important to make an accurate diagnosis. Failure to diagnose creates a missed opportunity to provide better health for your patients. Failure to diagnose also costs the practice treatment revenue and the joy involved in helping a patient achieve better health through improved oral care.

Providing periodontal care also allows us the opportunity to network with physicians since periodontal disease is a medical condition with a dental solution!

Learning Objectives:

• Outline the current opportunity to increase patient overall health through oral disease management.
• Review the key concepts in clinical data gathering to arrive at an accurate periodontal diagnosis and to guide your hygiene team.
• Learn how salivary diagnostics can assist in patient education and provide insights to developing personalized treatment plans.
• Discover ways to collaborate with medical providers to enhance patient care.

Practical Applications:

• Apply comprehensive periodontal data collection methods (e.g., probing depths, bleeding indices, and risk assessments) to accurately diagnose oral inflammatory conditions and reduce the risk of misdiagnosis.
• Integrate salivary diagnostic testing into routine evaluations to educate patients on their oral-systemic health status and develop personalized, evidence-based treatment plans.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary healthcare providers to coordinate care for patients with periodontal disease, enhancing overall health outcomes and strengthening professional referral networks.

Method: Lecture

Location: Online (Zoom)

AGD Course Code: 490

Credit Hours: 1

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Thompson has over 44 years of experience with Dentistry. At age 17, he became a lab technician, and then, in 1996, he graduated from the University of Michigan Dental School. He now owns and operates his dental practice, Integrative Oral Medicine, at Maple and Lahser in Bloomfield Hills, MI.

Dr. Thompson has completed hundreds of hours of continuing postgraduate education. He is Faculty at the Kois Center, a world-renowned teaching institute for dentists, in Seattle, Washington. There, he teaches about managing oral disease and the relationship to systemic disease.

In addition to his dental training, Dr. Thompson has a Fellowship in Anti-Aging Medicine through the American Academy of Anti-Aging, Regenerative and Functional Medicine. There he presents to physicians a program titled, “Periodontal Disease and the Heart: A Collaborative Opportunity.”

Dr. Thompson has several publications about the dentists’ role in detecting and
preventing many diseases that are related to oral disease. He has also authored two book chapters in Integrative Cardiovascular Medicine textbooks for physicians.

Dr. Thompson is active in our local community and enjoys his two children and four grandchildren when he teaches and visits the Seattle area.

Conflict of Interest:

Owner of Wellness Dentistry Network