Oral–Systemic Links: What Do We Tell Our Patients?
Date: December 6, 2025
Time: 12 pm to 2 pm ET
Start time by time zone: 1:30 pm NT, 1:00 pm AT,
12:00 pm ET, 11:00 am CT, 10:00 am MT, 9:00 am PT
Summary
The virtual platform will be Zoom. Be sure to download the
Zoom app before
joining the session.
With over three decades of research, more than 57 systemic
conditions—including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive
decline—have been suspected of having links to periodontal disease. Yet,
the nature of these connections remains complex and often misunderstood.
During this presentation, dental hygienists will explore the evolving
relationship between periodontal disease and systemic health, gaining a
clearer understanding of the current evidence. By gaining insight into the
most plausible explanations for these relationships, participants will be
better equipped to communicate accurate, evidence-based information to
their patients.
Access Information
The virtual platform will be Zoom. Download the
Zoom app before
joining the session on a computer or mobile device. If joining from a
Windows or macOS desktop computer, Zoom offers closed captioning and
translated captions in real time. You must have the latest version of
Zoom, and a variety of languages are supported.
You will receive a link directly from Zoom via email. Click on the Zoom
link to watch the presentation.
Presenter
Salme Lavigne, PhD, RDH (she, her/elle)
Salme Lavigne has 40 years of experience in dental hygiene
education in Canada and the United States. She holds a diploma in
dental hygiene from the University of Toronto, a bachelor’s degree
in biomedical anthropology from Lakehead University, a master’s
degree in dental hygiene education from the University of
Missouri-Kansas City, and a doctorate in community health sciences
from the University of Manitoba. Currently, she is a senior
scholar at the University of Manitoba and scientific editor of the
Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene. She has numerous
publications in peer-reviewed journals and has delivered over 120
continuing education presentations.
Learning Outcomes
After the presentation, participants will be able to:
-
Discuss common misconceptions about the nature of relationships
between oral and systemic diseases
- Describe the difference between “association” and “causation”
-
Discuss the current state of the evidence for proposed associations
between periodontal disease and diabetes, cardiovascular diseases,
respiratory diseases, adverse pregnancy outcomes, rheumatoid
arthritis, cognitive decline, inflammatory cancers, and others
-
Discuss the most plausible explanation for these associations and
how to accurately disseminate that information to your patients
-
Discuss how maintaining good periodontal health can have a positive
influence on overall health