Dentaltown August 2022 - 17

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How Long Does a Patient Stay With a
Periodontist's Offi ce After SRP?
After potentially losing patients to a specialist's offi ce, this Townie wants to know if they're ever coming back
32dentalpearls
Member Since: 12/07/13
Post: 1 of 53
I took over a practice two years ago where the retiring dentist (no hygienist) used to refer
all perio cases to a local periodontist. Those patients rarely returned to the offi ce for an annual
exam unless there was a broken tooth or abscess. The periodontist's offi ce sends us the report
every three to six months for those patients. When the front offi ce calls the patients to schedule
an annual exam, they tell her they just had their teeth cleaned and checked. She tries to educate
them, but some still never schedule an exam because they get their cleanings done every three,
four or six months at the periodontist's offi ce. After taking over, I have tried to keep some
of the perio patients in-house. I would like to know how long the patients keep going to the
periodontist's offi ce after SRP/osseous surgery. I feel like I lose the patient every time I refer to
them. I am planning to discuss this with him as well, but would like to know what other offi ces
usually do. There is no other periodontist within a 45-minute drive. ■
4/5/2022
randy9798
Member Since: 12/06/17
Post: 2 of 53
I don't think there is any set rule. In my experience, the specialists alternate cleanings
between perio and GP. Some places, patients stay with perio for about a year until they say a
patient is stable. Also depends on how busy the perio offi ce is. If they are busy, they likely don't
want to keep around minimal cleaning patients. ■
4/5/2022
HowardFarranboy
Member Since: 12/03/18
Post: 3 of 53
The only way to treat perio is to treat it. Once patients are stable, they can return for exams
or maintenance at the GP, but should at least be alternating with perio. Must be a team approach
with perio offi ce. Some patients prefer maintenance at perio, which is fi ne, but perio should also
encourage annual restorative exams with GP. ■
4/5/2022
gumdoc77
Member Since: 09/09/13
Posts: 6 and 8 of 53
Depends on the severity of the disease. If I saw the patient for localized pocket elimination,
then I will do the procedure, we will reevaluate over the fi rst year and then refer the patient back
to GD for maintenance. Implants and tissue grafts are similar. If a patient has advanced perio
and has had three or four quads of surgery, they should be with me forever.
Alternating maintenance should begin only once periodontal treatment is totally complete.
Very confusing to the patient when we're in the midst of treatment-maybe one side is complete
but not the other-and they're told something incorrect by the GP's hygienist.
I fi nd that " he's stealing your patients " line comical. As if we have some burning desire to
take your maintenance patients.
When I purchased my offi ce 12 years ago, one of the biggest complaints I heard from referrals
regarding my predecessor was that patients disappeared into the " black hole of the perio
offi ce, " never to return to the GD. In an effort to assuage the GPs, we alternated maintenance
from the get-go. This was a disastrous decision because the patients would see the GP after
having one of four quads of surgery completed. They have charting done in areas that were
still healing from surgery (even though my reports cleared noted to " not probe XYZ area " ),
16 AUGUST 2022 // dentaltown.com

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