An interview with Dr. Alan Winter

 Periodontics is positioned to redefine the specialty based on emerging technologies, new data, etc.  Specifically, wouldn’t it be interesting if periodontists performed genetic testing to determine a predisposed risk for periodontal disease (based on a patient’s parents or grandparents dental history).  We would have a new role as genetic counselors.  Another way the speciality could be redefined is the application of stem cells to reconstruct (regrow?) missing teeth.  The technology is here now for this, but it will not be commonplace for many years, yet I believe in our lifetime that we will be involved with this.  This does not bode well for the dental implant manufacturers.  Lastly, we could become more medically based, screening for a host of diseases that are systemically affected by periodontal disease.  You are aware of the usual suspects:  cardiac, cerebrovascular, and respiratory to name the main ones.  There are other systemic implications for untreated periodontal disease, so it is logical to postulate that the future periodontist will perform more medical screening.  If this is the case, will be initiate certain medical treatments?   Alan Winter, DDS