I have been in the private practice of Dental Hygiene since 1973 and have had the privilege of working along side a number of good hygienists in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Ohio throughout the years. However, Theresa Deaton is more than just one of the great hygienists I’ve worked with, she is in a league of her own….at the very top! Besides being the absolute best clinical hygienist I have ever known, she is a tremendous teacher/educator/instructor. As I practiced next to her in the same dental office for many years. I was educated daily by observing and listening to her interact with her patients. Her thorough and continually updated knowledge increased my own personal knowledge of periodontal disease, while also tutoring me in how to speak with patients about their disease processes. I watched how she was able to motivate patients into accepting and enrolling into periodontal treatment, and then motivate them to follow through with great outcomes. Theresa’s high standard of clinical, educational, and motivational excellence has encouraged and benefitted my professional life more than any course, class, or conference I’ve ever attended!

Knowing Theresa Deaton throughout my dental hygiene career and having the opportunity to learn from her has been invaluable to my profession. Theresa is one of those people that makes you want to be the best at whatever you set your mind to. Her exceptional clinical skills, knowledge, and ability to motivate has helped myself, and countless others become outstanding clinicians and patient educators.

I began working at a newer office and was concerned about the complete lack of periodontal assessment and treatment. Unsure of how to handle the situation, I turned to Theresa for help. She helped guide me with information and an action plan that I was able to implement at my office. Because of her, our patients are now educated and getting the periodontal care they need! She has been an immense asset to our office and my professional development.

Over the course of my career in dental hygiene education, I have had the privilege to work with and collaborate with clinicians and educators from diverse healthcare backgrounds with extensive knowledge and expertise in their area of focus. Theresa Deaton is one of those individuals. While her talents in dentistry are many, her passion and skill in caring for patients with periodontal disease have not only had a positive influence in the private practice setting, but in dental hygiene education as well. Theresa created Periogenius to bridge the gap between evidenced-based standards of care and real world practice. Her approach offers solutions for the assessment and treatment of periodontal disease(s) that yield optimal results for both patients and practices.

Professor and Clinic Coordinator
Sinclair Community College

I have had many opportunities to work with Theresa in educational settings. Her knowledge in dentistry surpasses most. She stays current in the profession by constantly challenging herself with learning new technology and research not only in hygiene, but overall in the profession of dentistry. Theresa’s clinical skills are exceptional because she is able to execute her knowledge and apply it to the clinical setting. Her grasp on individualized patient therapy is a focus every office should want for their patients and practice.

Theresa has a way of motivating others to up their game with patient care and treatment. Most consultants focus on production and the patient care can be pushed to the side. Her true passion is what is right for the patient and their care. When this happens, the other parts of the business of dentistry falls into place. I highly recommend having Theresa Deaton share her experiences and expertise for any dental office setting.

I’ve had the privilege of working with Theresa Deaton in my private practice for almost a decade. In all my professional experience, she is one of the best Dental Hygienists I have worked with. Her knowledge goes beyond what is expected and she continually strives to learn and to keep abreast of current practices and standards. Her communication style with patients was key to the success of my practice as patients felt confident they would get the best care. Her confidence, knowledge, and professional demeanor is demonstrated best when she is with patients, other staff members, and students. I highly recommend Theresa Deaton as her professional skills would enhance any dental practice’s focus on the highest quality of patient care.

There are several qualities that set Theresa Deaton apart :

1. Her knowledge and grasp of today’s periodontal identification and therapy
2. Her 36 years of clinical experience.
3. Her expertise in current CDT coding and guidelines
4. Her sincere interest for optimal patient care
5. Her extraordinary skill as a teacher and motivator.

I have taught beside Theresa for 20 years and continue to marvel at her communication skills and the ability to take a complicated subject, break it down, and teach it to understanding .

In today’s practices, there are usually multiple hygienists that hail from different educational institutions and different levels of clinical experience, It is critical to have all providers on the same page so that periodontal disease is consistently identified, coded properly, and communicated clearly for patient understanding and acceptance. Consistency is the key.

Theresa has exactly those skills, clinical and verbal, to help a good team become a consistently great team . That is why she is the Periogenius!

Starting out as a new hygienist was a scary and uneasy feeling for me. I had all kinds of doubts such as, can I recognize periodontal disease, are my probing depths accurate, when to treat the disease and when not to treat. These kind of thoughts were almost keeping me up at night. Working with Theresa really helped me to understand periodontal disease. She made it simple and easy to understand. Now, I feel confident in recognizing periodontal disease with utilizing both periodontal charting and radiographs. Another component is how to have this discussion with the patient. She and I did role playing that has helped me through those hurdles. Theresa has helped me evolve into the Dental Hygiene Professional that I want to be. Dentistry is embracing lifelong learning and she has laid down a foundation for me that I can continue to build and learn from.

I’ve been practicing full-time in dental hygiene for 14 years, the past two as a substitute serving practices of the greater Dayton area as well as running my own business. I was fortunate to have Theresa Deaton as one of my instructors while in hygiene school at Sinclair Community College. Now as colleagues and I’m still so glad to be able to seek her help in the structure of difficult cases as well as troubleshooting the periodontal discussion in offices where this discussion is tread lightly. If you are working in a practice with lack of protocols for treating periodontal disease, Theresa Deaton will guide your hygiene staff in risk assessment, treatment protocols, and case management in a pathway that makes sense. She will help you to be able to recognize the risks of the current fast paced culture, how it affects dental health, and give you the tools to get your patients in the right treatment with confidence and consistency every single time.