The rise of consumerism in periodontics.

Dentists can and should capitalize on the consumer movement. Consumerism is good practice management. This opinion is consistent with the excellent overview of changes in periodontics during the 1970s that are described in other articles of this symposium. No dentist can guarantee good periodontal health or successful treatment if the patient is not responsible doing all he can to prevent periodontal disease. When the patient has this attitude and has modified his oral hygiene habits in accordance with the recommendations of the general dentist, the patient then has the right to expect that most forms of gingivitis and periodontitis will occur only rarely, if at all.