There is no question that there is a direct link between patients' oral health and overall health. However, many dental professionals have reported that communicating that connection is more difficult than expected. Plus, when topics are difficult, we human beings often push them into the background of our priorities.
With those difficulties in mind, we reconnected with dental pharmacology expert Tom Viola, RPh, on the latest episode of the Dental Assistant Nation podcast series, powered by IgniteDA.net. Viola is passionate about dental professionals discussing the oral-systemic connection with their patients, as well as making connections with medical professionals for referrals, etc.
In this episode, Viola talks about the importance of every dental team member (including the dentist, hygienist, and assistant) feeling comfortable talking to patients about their overall health and the effects that periodontal disease and other oral issues can cause. I also talk with Viola about how dental professionals can start the conversation, and we touch on some of the changes happening with dental insurance in the coming year that are going to help bridge the gap between the dental and medical worlds.
Click below to hear our discussion and some frank talk about the important role every dental professional plays in patients' oral and overall health.
And remember, the Dental Assistant Nation series, powered by IgniteDA, has podcasts designed to help dental assistants become more empowered, enlightened, and educated. It also has topics of interest to every member of the dental team to help grow their careers.
