The American Academy of Periodontology commissioned a task force to develop guidelines for the management of patients with periodontal diseases to encourage referring dentists and periodontists to work together to optimize the health of patients. The Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Periodontal Diseases are intended to help the general practitioner in the rapid identification of those patients at greater risk for the consequences of periodontal inflammation and infection and, therefore, those patients most appropriate for specialty referral. The objective is to help the entire dental team in the timely identification of patients with periodontal diseases and those patients who are most appropriate for specialty care. This should help address any confusion about evaluating the effectiveness of periodontal treatment and determining when a periodontist should be consulted as a member of the patient’s treatment team. The Guidelines were published in the September 2006 issue of the Journal of Periodontology. A copy of the paper is available online at: http://www.perio. org/resources-products/pdf/ Referral.pdf.
(Source: American Academy of Periodontology, September 5, 2006)
