Periodontal Disease, for the most part, is a chronic condition. The periodontist's role and training are focused on diagnosing, arresting, and, as much as possible, reversing the course of this destructive ailment. But once patients have been stabilized, they still remain at greater risk for recurrence or breakdown compared with patients who have never had this damaging infection. For this reason, patients are usually informed during their initial visits to periodontists, that they should consider themselves periodontal patients from then on, or as long as they have teeth. Is this chronic label true for every patient? Of course not, but those who can safely return into the general patient population and be treated with no additional vigilance are extremely few and far between. The profession of Dental Hygiene serves a vital function when it comes to helping treated periodontal patients maintain health and, when necessary, return them to active therapy. But how well does all of this wo
