For patients that presents with a periodontal infection in their mouth, one level of treatment is what is referred to as "deep cleaning." (also referred to as scaling and root-planning). The methodology of this procedure is based on straight-forward microbiology and immunology principles. In dental school, both the dental hygienist and the dental student are trained to scale the patients quadrants of the patient's mouth with a local anesthetic. As the student progresses through school and gets additional training, they may address this type of infection by performing two quadrants of scaling and root-planning with local anesthetic.
Unfortunately very few dental students realized the importance of performing the procedure in one appointment with both local anesthetic and conscious sedation in a manner that is both efficient and comfortable for the patient. Most dentists, once they graduate dental school, delegate this procedure to a dental hygienist. Current research has shown that scaling and root-planning, when performed by a skilled periodontist, using specialty-type instruments with a patient who has been properly sedated, will achieve greater success than when this procedure is performed with someone of less skill and in multiple appointments.