Improving Oral Health Equity with Guided Biofilm Therapy for Underserved Edmontonians
Details
Northern Alberta
The Idea
Radius Community Health and Healing Dental Clinicrequests funds to purchase a Woodpecker Air Polishing Unitto implement Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT), aclinically proven, minimally invasive technology for effective, gentle removal of plaque and biofilm.
Radius Dental is a community clinic providing low-barrier, trauma-informeddental care to Edmonton's underserved population, many of whom face barriers linked to social and structural determinants of health. Using a sliding-scale system, we make preventive and restorative care accessible to individuals and families who might otherwise forgo treatment.
GBT helps prevent gum disease before it develops into periodontal disease, a condition disproportionately underdiagnosed and untreated in marginalized populations (1).Untreated periodontal disease contributes to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, Alzheimer’s disease, and complications in pregnancy (2).Italso leads to tooth loss, infections, and costly procedures such as extractions or root canals. Evidence shows that early preventive care, including GBT, reduces disease progression and lowers overall healthcare costs (3).
The Woodpecker system offers faster, gentler plaque removal. Shorter appointments increase compliance, while less invasive treatment helps reduce anxiety, especially among patients with trauma histories. Research indicates GBT reduces post-treatment sensitivity and improves comfort compared to conventional scaling (4).
The Woodpecker Air Polishing unit combines plaque elimination, stain removal, and scaling into one system. By mixing antibacterial powder with warm water under pressure, itgently, quickly and most importantly, effectively removes biofilm (plaque) and stains. Dental hygienists reportsuperior cleaning results and ergonomic benefits, such as reduced wrist and back strain, when using air polishing systems compared to manual scaling (5).
In the pastyear, Radius Dental has treated over 3,907 low-income patients, including 482 new patients. Approximately 12% of appointments are emergency or urgent cases, often resulting from delayed preventive care. Implementing GBT will reduce treatment time, allowing us to serve more patients annually while enhancing comfort and preventive outcomes
3. DOI: 10.58240/1829006X-2025.21.5-313
Who Will Benefit?
Radius Community Health and Healing Dental Clinic’s mission is to provide low-barrier, compassionate, trauma-informed dental care. Our patients often face severe challenges to accessing oral healthcare, including financial hardship, lack of insurance, housing insecurity, mental illness, and substance use.Research shows that populations facing these barriers are more likely to delay or avoid oral healthcare, leading to worse outcomes (1)
Each month, our clinic provides care to approximately 300 patients, with the majority receiving sliding-scale discounts of 25–75% based on income and family size.
Delaying care increases the risk of pain, infection, and tooth loss – all of which compound existing health inequities.By implementing the Woodpecker system,we will improve care on multiple levels.
By introducing GBT, we will improve care on multiple levels. For children and families, GBT offers a gentler, faster procedure, supporting positive early experiences that foster lifelong oral health habits (2). For adults with trauma histories, shorter, less invasive appointments help build trust, reduce retraumatization, and increase willingness to seek ongoing care (3).
GBT also benefits dental professionals. Hygienists and dentists experience reduced wrist and back strain from the Woodpecker’s lightweight, ergonomic design, helping mitigate musculoskeletal injuries, a leading cause of career fatigue and turnover in dental practice (4).
Together, these outcomes strengthen both patient well-being and workforce sustainability, ensuring that compassionate, preventive care remains available to those who need it most.