Pacific Dental Services (PDS®) Supported Offices To Offer ORALDNA® Testing To Improve Oral And Systemic Health

Eden Prairie, MN /PRNewswire/ - Over 594 PDS®-supported dental offices now have a powerful new tool to help with gum disease. A simple saline-rinse test from OralDNA® Labs measures disease-causing bacteria and helps personalize treatment. An extensive evaluation by PDS® supported clinicians concluded that the use of OralDNA® testing improves oral health outcomes and allows patients to make more informed choices on both professional and at-home care.

Eleven species of harmful pathogens cause most gum disease. Redness, swelling and increased pocket depths of gum tissue are the visible signs of inflammation triggered by these bugs. A physical examination combined with a sensitive test provides the dentist with more information to select treatment, and a follow-up test can help in evaluating progress.

Proper dental treatment can also help manage risk for serious systemic health issues. Left untreated, the same bacteria that cause gum disease can directly increase risk for cardiovascular disease, and are associated with increased risk of diabetes, stroke and birth complications.

Salivary Tests for Oral and Integrated Care
OralDNA® tests such as MyPerioPath® are now routinely used by thousands of healthcare professionals for early identification of the harmful bacteria that trigger inflammation and gum disease, and to aid in the personalization of treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of adults have periodontal disease. Oral pathogens have been shown to directly cause an increase in cardiovascular risk. Numerous studies have linked oral health to other systemic health issues such as diabetes, stroke and birth complications, and dental offices are increasingly on the front line in managing this risk.

"We are honored to be working closely with Pacific Dental Services supported offices to advance dental care and be on the cutting edge of an integrated care program," said George Hoedeman, CEO of OralDNA® Labs. "Early detection of risks and personalized treatment improves health, reduces costs, and gives patients many more options."

About OralDNA Labs®
OralDNA® Labs is a specialty diagnostics company created by a team of dedicated healthcare and laboratory professionals. Our mission is healthier patients. Good overall health starts with good oral health. OralDNA® Labs provides innovative diagnostic tests, exceptional customer support, and consultation to aid all healthcare professionals in detecting disease and risk factors at an earlier, more treatable stage. Tests include MyPerioPath® to identify and measure harmful oral bacteria, Celsus One™ to identify genetic inflammation risk, OraRisk® HPV to identify human papillomavirus associated with oropharyngeal cancers, and a variety of other oral diagnostics.

About Pacific Dental Services®
Founded in 1994, PDS is one of the country's leading dental support organizations, providing supported autonomy that enable dentists to concentrate on clinical excellence and the highest levels of cost-effective comprehensive patient care. PDS originated the Private Practice+® model to enable dentists to focus on their passion: serving patients. PDS also pioneered the concept of Modern Dentistry – enabling dentists to combine advances in the latest technology with the best operational practices and procedures, highly skilled support staff and a commitment to ongoing training and education – to grow to over 600 supported dental offices across the United States. They aim to be the provider of choice in all the markets they serve, helping supported dentists to develop Patients for Life™.

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