Dr. Van Slooten received his DMD degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, where he obtained honors in Prosthodontics and finished third in the class his final year. He then completed a General Practice Residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, receiving advanced training in; periodontal, pediatric, implant, and cosmetic dentistry. Exhibiting the qualities of a lifelong learner, Dr. Van Slooten has earned over 500 hours of continuing education.
Dr. Van Slooten has participated in several mission trips to underprivileged areas in Teec Nos Pos, AZ, John’s Island, SC, the Australian Outback, and most recently Kingston, Jamaica. Recently Dr. Van Slooten participated in ABC’s ‘7 On Your Side- Ask The Dentist’ event, assists the Northern Virginia Dental Society’s Community Outreach Committee, and is partnered with Kaiser Permanente and the Medical Care for Children Partnership (MCCP) by providing services to children in his Falls Church office who otherwise would not have access to dental care.
What is Oral Microbiome?
Oral Microbiome is the smorgasbord of billions of bacteria living on your teeth, gums, tongue, and cheeks. Everybody has bacteria in their mouth. You are born with some species and you acquire more once you get teeth. The species of bacteria you are exposed to throughout your life combined with your oral hygiene habits and diet create your oral microbiome.
Are All Bacteria the Same?
Every species of bacteria behaves differently. Some bacteria cause cavities, some cause gum disease, and some are normal healthy cohabitants. The makeup of oral microbiome explains why some people are cavity prone while others never floss or brush and have no idea what a cavity is.
Can You Tell If I Have Cavity Causing Bacteria?
The Dental Health Center of Northern Virginia invested in cutting edge technology to provide the highest quality of dental health services available. Bacteriological screenings can detect the volume of cavity causing bacteria that exist in your oral microbiome. This provides invaluable information to help design specific prevention programs customized just for you. Have you ever wondered why you keep getting cavities even after brushing twice a day? “The problem may not be your habits at all! Patients who have a high volume of cavity causing bacteria have a higher risk factor which requires a different prevention program. It could be diet, bacterial load, PH imbalance, hygiene, salivary flow, or other factors, but in every case there is a reason why you get cavities that goes well beyond simply brushing and flossing and there are easy steps that can be taken to negate those risks.”
What about Gum Disease?
Dr. Van Slooten and Dr. Mahgoub have unique training in advanced periodontal disease detection. The Dental Health Center of Northern Virginia provides instantaneous periodontal disease diagnoses. “Using advanced phase-contrast microscopy we are capable of identifying the current condition of your gingival health and oral microbiome. Do you have periodontal disease? Are you at risk for acquiring it? Is your immune system responding properly? Do you have the bacteria in your mouth that are linked to heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, erectile dysfunction, and pre-term low infant birth weight? All these questions answered immediately with a painless swab where you can view the results while in the office.”
How Expensive Is Bacteriologic Screening?
“I have made sure that the best technology and services are available at the Dental Health Center of Northern Virginia. Our Caries Risk Detection, Microscopic Health Screenings, and 3D TMJ/Sleep Apnea imaging are all done at no cost to you. The problem is that our services and technology are well ahead of what insurance companies are even aware of and therefore are not covered and typically not offered anywhere else. It is my belief that insurance companies should not prevent you from obtaining the highest quality of care and no patient should ever be charged for being proactive about their health.”
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