Questions to ask a periodontist Patient guide

What should I ask about training and experience?

Ask where the periodontist trained, whether board certification is current and how often the office performs the proposed procedure.

• "Where did you complete periodontics residency?" CODA's program search confirms accredited programs, and each runs three consecutive academic years.
• "Are you a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology?" Diplomates pass a written qualifying examination and an oral examination, and the ABP locator lists those in good standing.
• "Is your certification current?" ABP certificates issued since May 2013 are time-limited, and a diplomate on Inactive status may not claim to be board certified.
• "Are you certified in the technique you recommend?" Only certified dentists may perform LANAP. Certification starts with a three-day Laser BootCamp.
• "How often do you perform this procedure, and may I see your own before and after cases?"

How to check credentials. How to choose a periodontist.

What should I ask about my diagnosis?

Ask for the stage, the grade and the teeth driving them, in writing.

• "What are my stage and grade?" Stage runs I to IV by severity and complexity. Grade runs A to C by rate of progression.
• "Which teeth have deep pockets, and which bleed?" The EFP guideline aims for no pocket deeper than 4 mm that bleeds on probing. Its other endpoint is no pocket of 6 mm or more.
• "Do smoking or diabetes change my grade?" The AAP grading chart lists both as grade modifiers.
• "Which teeth have a doubtful outlook?" Mobility, recession, furcation involvement and pus help the dentist judge each tooth's prognosis, per SDCEP guidance.
• "May I have copies of my chart and x-rays?" A Florida rule requires a dentist to furnish copies, including x-rays, in less than 30 days of a written request.

The first visit. Pocket numbers.

What should I ask about options and timing?

Ask for every option, including no treatment, with the number of visits and the healing time for each.

• "What are my options, and why this one?" The EFP guideline treats periodontitis in steps and considers surgery for sites that stay deep after cleaning below the gumline.
• "When will you re-check my gums?" Aetna's dental policy sets re-evaluation at least 6 weeks after scaling and root planing.
• "How many visits will this take, and how far apart?" LANAP, for example, is usually done in two visits, per the manufacturer.
• "When can the final crown or tooth go in?" Cleveland Clinic gives 3 to 9 months for an implant to fuse with the jawbone.
• "How soon after crown lengthening can the crown be made?" A pilot study found 6 weeks may be enough healing.
• "What happens to this tooth if I wait?"

How long treatment takes.

What should I ask about cost and insurance?

Ask for a written estimate that lists each CDT code, its fee and the plan's expected payment.

• "Will you send a pre-treatment estimate?" In a predetermination, the plan reviews the treatment plan and reports eligibility, covered services, amounts payable, co-payments, deductibles and plan maximums.
• "Which CDT codes are on my plan?" The CDT Code is the HIPAA standard code set for dental claims.
• "How much of my annual maximum is left?" Cigna notes that most dental PPO plans have an annual maximum.
• "Is the office in my network?" Most dental HMO plans cover out-of-network care only in an emergency or where law requires it.
• "Could my plan pay an alternate benefit?" That clause lets the payer base its benefit on a less expensive procedure.
• "Do you offer payment plans?" The AAP notes many periodontists offer financing such as payment plans.

Treatment codes. Insurance coverage.

What should I ask about sedation and aftercare?

Ask who gives the sedation and under which Florida permit, how monitoring works and what the first week of recovery requires.

• "Who gives the sedation, and with which permit?" Florida requires a Board of Dentistry permit for moderate sedation, deep sedation and general anesthesia.
• "How will I be monitored?" Florida's moderate sedation rule requires continuous EKG, pulse oximetry and capnography.
• "Do I need a driver and a fasting plan?" The ASA states sedated patients will most likely be unable to drive.
• "When is the first follow-up?" Cleveland Clinic expects a gum graft check about one week after surgery.
• "When can I brush the treated area?" LANAP aftercare bars brushing and flossing there for 7 to 10 days.
• "Who does my maintenance cleanings, and how often?" The EFP guideline sets intervals of 3 to 12 months.

Sedation. Gum surgery recovery.

Sources

1. Commission on Dental Accreditation. Accreditation standards for advanced dental education programs in periodontics
2. American Board of Periodontology. Pathway to certification
3. American Board of Periodontology. Maintenance of certification
4. Millennium Dental Technologies. LANAP protocol FAQs (manufacturer)
5. Millennium Dental Technologies. LANAP treatment, patient page (manufacturer)
6. Tonetti MS, Greenwell H, Kornman KS. Staging and grading of periodontitis: framework and proposal of a new classification and case definition. J Periodontol 2018
7. American Academy of Periodontology. Staging and grading periodontitis, 2017 World Workshop
8. Sanz M et al. Treatment of stage I-III periodontitis: the EFP S3 level clinical practice guideline. J Clin Periodontol 2020
9. Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme. Full periodontal examination: what should be recorded
10. Florida Administrative Code Rule 64B5-17.009, Patient records; copying charges; timely release
11. Aetna Dental Clinical Policy Bulletin 040. Initial periodontal therapy reevaluation
12. Cleveland Clinic. Dental implants
13. Malamoudi GA et al. Pre-restorative crown lengthening surgery: influence of restorative treatment timing on clinical outcomes, a pilot study. Oral Maxillofac Surg 2024
14. American Dental Association. Glossary of dental administrative terms
15. American Dental Association. CDT coding education
16. Cigna Healthcare. Dental HMO vs. PPO plans
17. American Academy of Periodontology. Patient FAQs
18. Florida Administrative Code Rule 64B5-14.002, Prohibitions (anesthesia)
19. Florida Administrative Code Rule 64B5-14.009, Moderate sedation requirements
20. American Society of Anesthesiologists. Sedation, analgesia, and anesthesia (patient brochure), 2021
21. Cleveland Clinic. Gum graft surgery
22. Cleveland Clinic. Tooth scaling and root planing
23. American Academy of Periodontology. Surgical periodontal procedures
24. American Academy of Periodontology. Single tooth dental implants
25. American Dental Association. Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct, 2025
26. Delta Dental of Washington. Fee schedule report 2024, procedure codes and descriptions

Reviewed by Steve Schadt, Director of IT and Medical Compliance: 25 years in dentistry, medicine and HIPAA compliance. Updated 2026-10-02. Checked against the sources listed. General information, not medical advice.