Periodontal disease is a significant public health problem. Recent estimates show the proportion of the adult U.S. population with periodontal disease to be as high as 48%. The Surgeon General has called oral disease a silent epidemic. Periodontitis has been linked to systemic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The American Academy of Periodontology recommends that high-risk patients seek periodontal evaluations and inform both medical and dental care providers of their health history and periodontal status. The recommendation has also been made that healthcare providers be informed that therapeutic intervention to manage periodontitis can have beneficial effects by forestalling the onset or slowing the progression of these systemic diseases. Cumulative statistics are showing that increased healthcare costs are associated with periodontitis. Mounting evidence suggests that early diagnosis and treatment of periodontitis not only improves oral health, but may also improve overall systemic health.

ALT BioScience is currently developing point-of-care periodontal diagnostics as adjuncts to traditional methods for the diagnosis of periodontitis in adult patients. The products are being designed to be single-use, disposable tests for ease of use by dental clinicians, that would provide a quick chair-side response for professionals and patients. The company is sponsoring clinical trials of various product designs at leading academic health science centers in support of needed regulatory clearances. Provided regulatory clearance is obtained, a first-generation test may be available in early 2009.