Periodontal Records Stress Test

Do you know if the periodontal record keeping forms that are used in your practice allow you to document what is needed for accurate periodontal diagnosis and case management?

Did you know that in dental malpractice cases a verdict of failure to diagnose and/or treat periodontal disease is often based on the dentist or dental hygienist utilizing inadequate records and/or performing insufficient documentation?

How do your records compare to time-tested gold standards?

Stress test your records by comparing them to the evidence-based Perio Access® Periodontal Exam Record and Periodontal Maintenance Record featured below, long considered to be gold standards in periodontal documentation and record keeping.

Perio Access^® Periodontal Exam Record (PER)

Perio Access^® Periodontal Maintenance Record (PMR)

About Perio Access® Periodontal Exam and Periodontal Maintenance Records: A Gold Standard in Periodontal Record Keeping and Documentation

Developed to fill a void and provide the dental profession with an efficient, systematic, practical, and evidence-based method to record periodontal conditions and dental hygiene therapy, the Perio Access® Periodontal Exam Record and Periodontal Maintenance Record have been in use for almost 40 years throughout the United States and Canada and are recognized as a very effective means to facilitate improved periodontal diagnosis, treatment, and case management.

These records have also helped provide sound defense against periodontal malpractice lawsuits filed against dentists and dental hygienists for failure to diagnose and treat periodontal diseases and gingival recession. As leading dental malpractice attorney Edwin J. Zinman, DDS, JD (retired), a former practicing periodontist, author, and dental speaker hailed, “The Perio Access Periodontal Exam and Maintenance Records are bullet proof”.

Perio Access® Periodontal Exam Record and Periodontal Maintenance Record were featured in the internationally published textbook “Advances in Periodontics” (Thomas G. Wilson, Jr, Kenneth S. Kornman, Michael G. Newman. 1992 ‎Quintessence Publishing).

In 2011, University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry incorporated key features of the Perio Access® Periodontal Exam Record into its AxiUm® periodontal record software program. Dr. Merijohn granted the University a perpetual no-fee license to use the upgraded software in its dental school.

The 2017 World Workshop on Periodontics peer-reviewed research paper on Mucogingival Conditions cited an article that featured Perio Access® Periodontal Exam Record and Periodontal Maintenance Records.            

Examples of these forms are reproduced here for dental professionals to stress test their existing records compared to these gold standard benchmarks.

The Perio Access® Periodontal Exam Record and Periodontal Maintenance Records were developed by George K. Merijohn, DDS, originally published by Perio Access® Inc. in 1985, continuously updated by Dr. Merijohn through 2018, and commercially available through 2022.