HEALTH NEWS - Jan. 15, 2003
Area periodontist develops new concept in preventive medicine

By SUZANNA MAHLER

Dr. Randy Nolf, a periodontist with offices in Lehighton and Stroudsburg, has developed a potentially profession-changing concept in preventive medicine that can predict tooth problems before they occur.

Good news for the public citizen is that the computer program could be a money-saver for employers and consumers.

The periodontal risk calculator is a new technology that makes it possible for the average dentist or periodontist to precisely calculate the risk profile of an individual patient for both gum disease and tooth loss. The software, which contains information from a standard dental exam, and factors in the patient's medical history and other data, can be accessed by dentists.

Dr. Nolf had the original idea for the risk calculator, which was then developed over a five-year period with Dr. John Martin of State College, and a group of eight periodontist colleagues. The research was conducted at the University of Washington and published in the Journal of the American Dental Association in May 2002.

They formed a new company, PreViser, which has the rights to the patents for dentistry as well as other health professions. PreViser also helps the discovery reach the rest of the dental profession.

"The risk calculator can predict the chances of damage from disease," Dr. Nolf said. "It only adds about five minutes onto one's exam."

"We were looking for all the things we could measure; that's how we thought of it," the Lehighton native said. "Sure enough, after much time and thought, we had our risk calculator."

The risk calculator is Internet based. A patient's data is submitted online through an encrypted connection to a secure database and processed to an individual risk profile within seconds.

"It lives in a server and I put in data points," he explained. "Then it calculates and feeds me back a report. It gives us an accurate way to see what peoples' future risks are within their current diagnosis."

As for patient benefits, Dr. Nolf's invention can actually save your teeth, save you money and prevent you from having to wear dentures in years to come.

"I think you get different responses and takes on this by different users because it may make them wary about decision making," he said. "Final decisions are still between the patient and doctor."

Some people may need more treatment than others.

"Severity of the disease doesn't mean all people must be treated aggressively," he said. "The risk calculator allows us to be precise about this."

Dentistry, as well as other health professions, may change significantly because of the breakthrough and the future software modeled on the dental programs. Dr. Nolf says one reason this can shape entire professions, and the industry of health, is because of the projected savings.

"Conservative projections put the saving at 4.2 billion in the first year for dentistry alone," Dr. Nolf said. "If a company such as Mack Truck or Pencor or Air Products can save 14 percent there will be a demand for adoption. An insurer offering a reduction of premiums of 14 percent to a corporate customer will have a significant advantage in the market place."

Dr. Nolf has been specializing in implants and gum disease for over two decades. is a graduate of Temple University Dental School. He said procrastination is a something which dentists must caution their patients to guard against.

"Patients say, 'I'll wait till it happens, then I'll deal with it,'" Dr. Nolf said.

As a specialist in the area of preventive medicine, Dr. Nolf offers some better advice which can save a person money and grief in the long run: "Let's manage this thing before it gets to be such a big deal."