Learning Objectives:

• Discover the unfolding of the human microbiota over two billion years, exploring the evolutionary lifespan of the human microbiome.
• Describe the biological functions influencing dysbiosis of the microbiome.
• Discuss case selection in integrating an immersive approach to balancing the oral microbiota.
• Examine pragmatic care modalities aimed to provide a symbiotic microbiome and promote a state of health.

This program is about a love story, two billion years in the making, between prokaryotic bacteria who began the process of human biology and disease in an impactful way.  Over a spectrum of time, the human microbiota as we understand it has experienced an evolution developed from a myriad of influences.  The result: an ever-changing imbalance of bacterial colonies primed for disease.

Across infancy, youth, puberty, adulthood and senior life cycles, our bodies experience physiological changes that guide diversity shifts in our microbiota.  What’s more: these shifts can create either a balanced and healthy environment or an inviting landscape for imbalance leading to disorder, illness and disease.  As the prevalence of oral disease continues to escalate, dentistry is called upon to study and better understand the delicate role of microflora imbalance on successful patient outcomes.  

Join periodontal hygienist Katrina M Sanders RDH, BSDH, M.Ed, RF as she explores the evolutionary process of the human microbiota, identifying the dramatic shifts in human physiology and societal trends that have deeply influenced the human microbiome as we understand it today.  Discover how dental professionals have the ability to direct and modify the diversification and organization of the human microbiome to promote health and wellness once again. 

Man vs. microbiota: let the games begin!