Dental Connections: The Airway-Microbiome Connection

How Saliva Testing Turns Hidden Risk Into Precision Care. What Your Patients’ Breath, Biofilm and Bacteria Are Trying to Tell You
About this Event

Speaker: Lora Hooper, RDH

Time: Check in 5:00pm | Dinner Available 5:15pm | Lecture 6:00pm-9:00pm

CEs: 4

Course Description:

What if chronic inflammation, persistent periodontal disease, and disrupted sleep are

not isolated problems, but interconnected warning signs?

Patients can brush, floss, and receive routine dental care yet continue to experience

bleeding, pocketing, and recurrent disease. The missing piece may be hiding in the

airway-oral microbiome connection. This dynamic three-hour course reveals how saliva

testing can uncover pathogenic bacteria and microbial imbalances before traditional

signs and symptoms tell the complete story.

Lora Hooper, BSDH, RDH, EFDA, “The Saliva Hacker™, will take the entire dental team

beyond plaque scores and pocket depths to explore the powerful connection between

breath, biofilm, and bacterial pathogens that influence whole-body inflammation.

Attendees will learn how to recognize clinical clues, understand salivary test results,

communicate risk, and use objective data to guide personalized care.

Through compelling cases and practical team-based strategies, participants will

discover how saliva-guided dentistry can transform diagnosis, treatment planning, and

patient acceptance. Whether you are a dentist, hygienist, assistant, or business team

member, you will leave with a clearer understanding of what your patients’ mouths may

be revealing, and how every member of the dental team can help turn hidden risk into

precision care.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize clinical indicators that signal airway dysfunction and microbial

imbalance.

2. Interpret salivary diagnostic findings to identify high-risk periodontal pathogens

linked to sleep-disordered breathing.

3. Implement a team-based workflow to introduce saliva testing and monitor

treatment outcomes through appropriate retesting.

Agenda

🕑: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM
Check-In
🕑: 05:15 PM
Dinner Available
🕑: 06:00 PM - 09:00 PM
Lecture