Periodontal disease is arguably one of the most common pathologies small animal practitioners are faced with on a day to day basis. However, it is also one of the most underappreciated and possibly undertreated diseases. A lot of this comes down to communication: Who hasn't struggled to talk to owners about the importance of preventative oral homecare ('But I give my dog antlers')? About the necessity of dental radiography ('But it's already so expensive')? About the level of discomfort their pet is in ('But she's still eating')? Or about treatment options? ('But how will they eat after?')

Better client compliance begins with improving communication, and this starts with increasing our own knowledge about periodontitits: how it develops, how it effects the body as a whole and what our treatment options are. In this lecture we will focus on deepening our understanding of periodontal disease by focusing on those things we often hear from owners in practice, so that we can use knowledge to help owners understand what periodontitis is and why it matters.