Donna Catapano-Martinez, DHSc, RDH, CDA, is an adjunct clinical assistant professor in the Department of Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting at New York University College of Dentistry in New York. She is also an online adjunct professor in the School of Health Sciences at Georgia Highlands College in Rome. Catapano-Martinez has more than 20 years of experience in academia and has been treating patients in private practice since 1999. She can be reached at dlc8@nyu.edu.
Probiotics offer potential benefits in addressing dental diseases, including caries and gingivitis, through various mechanisms that stabilize oral microbiota.
Oral health professionals need to be aware of the risks posed by dental aerosols in order to reduce the risk of disease transmission before, during, and after patient care.