Hi, and welcome—or welcome back—to The Perio Patient Podcast. This is the show created especially for my patients and for anyone else who cares to listen.
I’m Dr. Ben Young, a periodontist in private practice here in San Antonio, Texas. You’re listening to Episode 107, titled Between Patients: The Other Side of Ben Young.
Today’s episode is a bit of an update. I’ll be sharing thoughts on several topics—some you may recognize from earlier episodes. If you’re new here, I encourage you to go back and listen to any episodes that sound interesting to you. There’s no set order, no tests at the end, just information that might be helpful to you.
This podcast started, and continues, as a way to communicate with you outside of our limited appointment times. In the office, neither of us has much time for long conversations about my background or my approach to care, yet I know that trust in a healthcare relationship goes both ways. For sure, I need to understand your concerns, preferences, and goals for treatment—but it’s also important that you know enough about me, both professionally and personally, to feel comfortable entrusting me with your care.
That’s where this podcast comes in. It gives you the chance to get to know me, my philosophy, and my perspective on treatment at your own pace. You can listen to as much or as little as you like, skip around, or start from the beginning. My hope is that it will not only answer questions but also provide some reassurance and clarity as you navigate your own dental health journey.
Recently, I’ve received two questions that really stuck with me—and they became the seeds for this episode.
The first came from a long-time patient who mentioned that he listens to my podcasts.
I actually produce two of them: this one, The Perio Patient Podcast, which I created primarily for my patients, and another called The Perio Hygienist Podcast, which is geared toward my dental colleagues—both dentists and dental hygienists.
In the introductions to both shows, I always mention that they’re also for “anyone else who cares to listen.”
That’s intentional.
I’m not trying to keep secrets or talk differently to one group versus another.
Rather, I want to give listeners a choice—to decide which podcast best fits their interests. After all, dentists and hygienists are also patients, just like I am from time to time, so there’s often overlap in the topics I cover. My point is, whoever you are, feel free to listen to either or both.
You might even ask your own dentist or hygienist if they’ve ever listened to either podcast—it could start an interesting conversation. And if you enjoy what you hear here, I’d appreciate it if you do shared it with others. Personal recommendations go a long way; most of us are far more likely to check out something that a friend or patient suggests.
Back to that patient’s question—he asked if I was still doing podcasts.
That one made me pause.
The truth is, it’s been a while since my last episode.
When I first started The Perio Patient Podcast back in August of 2020, we were all just emerging from COVID lockdowns. Like many of us, I had a bit more time back then, and there was a lot to talk about. Things have changed since. My schedule is fuller now, and life feels busier overall.
Still, one advantage of having a library of episodes is that I can now point patients to past recordings that cover questions or topics that come up again. It’s a wonderful resource for both of us—I can share detailed explanations without repeating myself, and listeners can revisit them whenever they want.
That said, I still think there’s great value in checking in from time to time—just like this. Podcasting keeps that human connection alive. It gives me the chance to encourage you on your personal dental health journey and to remind you, every so often, about a few simple habits that make a big difference.
There are some things you and I both need to do regularly, and others that only need to be done from time to time. I talk about this in more detail in my YouTube video—also available on my website—called A Tooth Has Four Parts. In it, I describe what I call “your two jobs and my two jobs” when it comes to treating periodontal disease. And by the way, the same principles apply if you’ve come to me for dental implant care.
Let’s start with your daily jobs. These are the things only you can do for yourself. That means effective home care—brushing at least twice a day and flossing once a day. The key word here is effective, which surprisingly doesn’t mean aggressive. In fact, gentle and frequent is far better than hard and occasional.
I know some of you are thinking, “But I don’t want to do the minimum—I want to do more!” Please don’t. The goal isn’t to scrub your teeth spotless each time; it’s to care for them consistently and gently. You’ll never be able to remove every bit of plaque—there’s no way to know exactly where it all is—and brushing too hard actually causes harm. Over time, overly intense brushing can wear away tooth structure and injure your gums. When that happens, your body has to heal from two things at once: the trauma of overbrushing and the ongoing battle against the bacteria that cause gum infection. So again—gentle and frequent wins every time.
Your second job also involves consistency, but at a broader level. It’s about maintaining overall health—because your mouth doesn’t exist in isolation from the rest of your body. If you’re diabetic, that means managing your blood sugar. It also includes making wise choices about diet, staying active, and caring for your emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing. Living a healthy, balanced life is a process—and as we say in a meeting I attend regularly, “It’s about progress, not perfection.”
Now, beyond your daily responsibilities, there are things you can’t do for yourself—those fall into the periodic category. Someone needs to check your periodontal health from time to time, take x-rays, and look for signs of decay or implant problems. These are professional jobs, not home-care jobs. And that “someone” isn’t always me; it might be your general dentist, dental hygienist, or another provider on your care team.
This is one of the main reasons I keep producing these podcast episodes—to stay connected with you, even if I don’t see you for a while or maybe ever again. My hope is that these periodic check-ins serve as little reminders and encouragements to keep going—to keep doing the things that protect your health day after day.
So, keep on keeping on.
Another important listener group are those who have yet come to see me. They might even be on the line as to whether they should. It isn’t uncommon for people to tell me that they don’t want to see me because what I do scares them. I totally get it. I don’t like going to physicians or dentists either. I relate. However, courage is doing what you don’t want to do because you have determined it is the right thing to do. And often when I step into the unknown, into situations that initially make me nervous I often – in fact I usually find that they were nothing like what I expected. My imagination let’s me down so often when it attempts to predict the future for me, so for me personally, I try to stay as much in the present as I possibly can.
So back to my patient-friend’s question – am I still doing podcasts – of course this proves the answer to be yes, but the more complete answer is that I have dropped attempting to do them frequently and making them short in duration. Rather, I have decided to do what many of the podcasts I listen to do – along with how audiobooks operate – is to allow them to be longer and expect you will listen at your own pace – as I do as well. So this podcast might be it for the rest of 2025 unless I am really compelled to reach out to you about something I find either interesting or important.
The second interaction I had was with a new assistant who asked me about living in Southern California. Because we were doing a treatment procedure, I didn’t really answer the question. This is because the context of what we were doing was not about me. Sure, sometimes we can carry on casual conversations while working but there is something not right carrying on a conversation while someone in the room has gloved hands in his or her mouth and can’t join in. So, I don’t mind talking about where I have been and the rest, but during the day is not the best time to do this.
So, in today’s podcast I will talk about who I am professionally and personally. One caveat to this, however, I will not be giving details about the lives of others. This isn’t their story, and they need privacy to live their own lives. This doesn’t mean I am not proud of my family, I very much am, but again they have the right to anonymity.
And speaking of anonymity, as just a place to start, I attend an Al-Anon meeting at least once a week, sometimes twice a week. I have been doing this since 2015. Al-Anon is for people who have been affected by others who have been affected by alcohol. It was started to help family members of alcoholics by the wife of one of the cofounders and it uses the same twelve steps Alcoholics Anonymous does almost word for word. If you find yourself trying to get anyone else to change their behavior, especially those addicted to alcohol or other drugs, then Al-Anon may be for you. I’m happy to discuss it with you. Although I am free to out myself, I am not free, and don’t wish to out anyone else, so I will stop here except to say that Al-Anon has been a tremendous force for good in my life, that it has given me a level of support that has made my life exponentially better compared with before.
I went through a divorce in 2016. Not fun, but something I’ve come to accept. The reason I share this is to set up the happier part: I remarried in 2023 to a wonderful woman I met because of an Airstream RV.
For those who may not know, Airstreams are those shiny, silver trailers I’ve loved seeing on the highways since I was a child. On long car trips, my parents would periodically call out, “Look, an Airstream—the Cadillac of trailers.” I have no idea where they got that line, but it stuck. As a single guy looking for a healthy and fun hobby, I decided to buy one myself—a 25-foot Flying Cloud.
After buying it, I discovered there was a local Airstream club, so I joined. I’ve just become president of our local club for the second time. Luckily, I’m not worried—my wife, who has also served as president in the past, is fantastic at planning and managing rallies. If you know anyone in or around San Antonio who owns an Airstream, please send them our way! We hold a rally every month except December and the three hottest summer months.
Going back further, in college I was an English major. Most students who enter dental school—then and now—come from science backgrounds. I was part of the small 5% who came from a different direction. I chose English because I’ve always had broad interests in music, literature, and the humanities, and I knew I would need enough science to take the dental aptitude test and qualify for dental school. Ultimately, I was accepted without completing my degree, which I think speaks to a well-rounded education.
What I’ve found is that my love for the humanities has helped me tremendously in my dental career. I enjoy reading and writing, which led me to write a book about flossing as well as hundreds of articles and podcast scripts over the years. I also love languages, and I continue to practice reading and speaking Spanish. Perhaps most importantly, my background helps me connect with patients on a more personal level—and I hope that comes through in my interactions.
Here are some books I’m reading right now. I’m making my way through Dante’s Divine Comedy—I’ve finished the Inferno section and am slowly trudging up Mount Purgatory. If you ever decide to tackle Dante, my tip is to get a translation with very clear footnotes. I read it on a Kindle, which makes it easy to toggle between the epic poem and the explanatory notes. Without good footnotes, it’s nearly impossible to follow along for long, because Dante references so many people and events from early 1300s Italy. Plus, being the Middle Ages, his understanding of the solar system and human anatomy is very different from ours today. Even so, it’s fascinating how wide-ranging his knowledge was—covering politics, religion, Greek mythology, and philosophy.
The next classics on my list are Don Quixote and St. Thomas Aquinas by G. K. Chesterton.
I also tend to jump around in my reading. Periodically, I pick up The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, which reminds me that my biggest enemy in writing is “Resistance”—that internal force that tries to stop me from starting or acting. I’m a big fan of both C. S. Lewis and Henri J. M. Nouwen as well. I appreciate their intellect and their seemingly simple writing style. By “seemingly,” I mean it looks easy, but it’s not. Dante makes me work; these two make complex ideas approachable and memorable. On the other end of the writing spectrum, without the excuse of translation, is T. S. Eliot. My Still Point Project grew out of a phase inspired by his work.
For lighter reading and entertainment, I enjoy authors like John Grisholm, Lee Child, and David Baldacci.
So, up to this point, you know I attend Al-Anon, I read and write a lot, and I enjoy camping. Now, let me explain the beard.
A few years ago, my wife and I were invited by friends to be a Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus couple for local events. These friends, whom she’s known since childhood, live in Chicago and have a tradition of making their own Santa outfits. They generously gave us their handmade outfits as hand-me-downs. Around July 1 each year, I start growing the beard in preparation for these November and December events. After the new year, I trim it back.
As a grandfather, I love interacting with children, so the beard is part of the fun. Please forgive it—it’s all in the spirit of joy and play.
Beyond being a seasonal Santa, I also serve on a number of groups, committees, councils, and boards—mostly related to my Christian faith and dentistry.
I’m on the advisory council for the local chapter of the Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA). Currently, I co-chair this council along with a physician friend so we can represent both medicine and dentistry. I’ve been involved with CMDA since around 1996 and have participated in more short-term mission trips than I can count.
Through CMDA, I’ve treated patients in nearly every border town in Texas. In the past, we would bring dental and medical students along, but safety concerns due to cartel activity eventually made that impossible. Today, we provide similar opportunities for students from UT Health in San Antonio and the University of the Incarnate Word, helping them treat local refugees and homeless populations. Once a year, we also take many of these students to the Dominican Republic to serve those in need. These experiences give students a firsthand understanding of the value of mission work early in their careers.
My first mission trip was back when I was a dental student at Loma Linda University in California. I traveled with classmates to Chiapas, the southernmost state in Mexico, flying into small villages in single-engine Cessnas. We often treated patients outdoors on wooden benches. That experience ignited my passion for short-term missions, and it remains a driving force in my life and career.
This past year, I was honored to be named a delegate for San Antonio CMDA at the national level. Typically, national delegates vote once a year in person at the National Convention.
I also serve on the board of The Christian Dental Clinic, located on the Haven for Hope campus. This clinic provides free dental care to those in need, funded entirely through individual and corporate charitable donations. It receives no government funding, intentionally. The reason is simple: the clinic aims to freely share their faith with patients. They believe that beyond teeth, what people truly need is understanding and a relationship with God. Experience has shown that those who engage with faith-based programs often improve their lives in ways that other external programs cannot replicate.
I’m also a member of First Presbyterian Church downtown, where I recently completed a three-year term as a deacon. During that time, I was involved in numerous hospital and rehabilitation facility visits, which gave me the opportunity to serve members of our community in very personal ways. Currently, I serve on the church’s Local Missions committee, representing The Christian Dental Clinic—a clinic the church founded back in 1986 in a building on their parking lot.
On the professional dental side, I’ve been involved with the San Antonio District Dental Society’s Peer Review Committee. This committee works to help resolve conflicts between patients and dentist-members of the society. About a year ago, I was elevated from chairing the local Peer Review Committee to serving on the state-level Peer Review board.
I want to finish by talking about the crusade I’m on when it comes to the LANAP procedure and the treatment of moderate to advanced chronic periodontitis—the level of disease that usually leads patients to be referred to a periodontist.
After years of treating moderate to advanced periodontitis with conventional non-surgical and surgical methods, I realized that incorporating laser therapy like LANAP could dramatically accelerate patients’ progress to a level of periodontal health that traditionally took much longer to achieve. Yet, out of 5,570 active periodontists in the United States today, only about 21% are trained in and actively using the LANAP protocol.
Why the slow adoption? Partly it’s economics, but it’s also the culture of “silos” in periodontics. Traditional training emphasized osseous surgery, with non-surgical therapy like scaling and root planing (SRP) as a preliminary step. In the 1930s and 40s, the dominant periodontal procedure was the gingivectomy, which involved removing gum tissue down to the alveolar bone. It worked, but it was incredibly painful, leaving patients with long teeth and shallow pockets. Patients who experienced it often vowed to brush their teeth consistently afterward—out of both fear and necessity.
LANAP’s development came from general dentists working outside the traditional periodontics silo, so early on it was viewed with skepticism. Innovation often takes time to gain traction, especially when it challenges established practices and lacks extensive prior clinical evidence. That’s why it took nearly a decade from the first LANAP training in 1999 to see periodontists adopting the protocol in 2008.
LANAP uses a specific Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm in a free-running pulsed mode. It targets diseased tissue, calculus, and pathogens while sparing healthy tissue, creating a controlled thermal effect that promotes regeneration of bone and connective tissue attachment. The standardized, FDA-cleared protocol developed by Millennium Dental Technologies includes pocket debridement, calculus removal, and stimulation of new attachment, all as a standalone, non-surgical treatment. The Nd:YAG laser penetrates 5–6 mm, effectively reaching the base of deep periodontal pockets.
Diode lasers, by comparison, operate at 800–980 nm and penetrate only 1–2 mm. They are primarily used for soft tissue ablation or bacterial reduction and lack a standardized, FDA-cleared protocol for periodontitis. While they can reduce bacterial load and improve pocket depth when combined with SRP, they don’t achieve the same regenerative outcomes as LANAP and are generally less comfortable for patients.
One common question I hear is whether scaling and root planing should be done before LANAP. The answer is no—and doing so can actually reduce LANAP’s effectiveness. LANAP is designed for inflamed, untreated pockets. If SRP is performed first, the gingiva begins healing and tightening, which can prevent the laser from reaching the base of the pocket, leaving residual bacterial clusters behind. LANAP alone reduces office visits, lowers overall cost, and maximizes regenerative outcomes.
Economic barriers also slow adoption. Dental insurance doesn’t cover LANAP. Using standard codes often limits reimbursement to SRP only, requiring either patient out-of-pocket payment or a financial loss for the practitioner. If LANAP is billed under surgical codes, insurers often insist on a non-surgical phase first, which, as we just discussed, undermines the benefits of the laser. For these reasons, I’ve chosen to lower my LANAP fee to make it accessible while keeping overhead low, allowing patients to get rapid treatment and return to their general dentist for ongoing restorative care.
I should note that one of my patients recently asked if I’m still doing podcasts. I told him I am, though it’s hard to find the time. That’s why this episode is longer than usual. When I first started, I tried to keep episodes short and frequent, which worked during COVID when there was more time and a lot to share. Over the past five years, I’ve seen many listeners binge the episodes, downloading them all and listening at their own pace. From my perspective, podcasts allow me to share information once, rather than repeating it endlessly in the office.
For patients, podcasts are a chance to know more about me than we can cover in a brief visit. For dental hygienists, they provide insight into periodontal care and patient management. This is also why I wrote a book on flossing—so families could learn proper techniques at home, ideally building habits early that reduce the need for periodontal intervention later.
Ultimately, my hope is that patients can maintain healthy gums for life, minimizing the need for advanced treatment. But where needed, LANAP gives us a safe, effective, and minimally invasive option for restoring periodontal health.
This has been The Perio Patient Podcast, and I’m still Dr. Ben Young. Thank you for listening.