Both behavioral management program and standard communication approach substantially promoted periodontal health. But, the changing lifestyle needs repeated communication/engagement with time. The behavioral management program on the basis of two visits did not offer an extra advantage in comparison with the standard method.

A parallel-design, randomized, single-blind trial was performed to investigate the standard communication approach (control) vs. the behavioral management program (test) for minimizing plaque, enhancing the clinical outcomes, and individual's compliance with oral self-care in individuals having periodontitis.

The trial recruited 71 individuals with mild to moderate periodontitis. All the individuals initiated utilizing a power toothbrush during the run-in period. Two sessions of non-surgical periodontal treatment were carried post-baseline, along with one of the two oral healthcare communication techniques.

At the screening visit, baseline visit, and at eight and 14 weeks post-baseline, recording of the plaque and bleeding scores, clinical attachment level, and probing pocket depth were done. Subjects were requested to complete oral self-care diaries. To evaluate the subjective experience of the patient-clinician interactions during the clinical visits, both physicians and subjects received experience questionnaires. 

A substantial decline in bleeding and plaque scores was witnessed from baseline to eight weeks after baseline, which then stayed stable at the 14th week in control and test cohorts. But, no differences were witnessed between the cohorts. In comparison with the control group, an improvement in probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level was noted at week eight post-baseline in the test. There were no inter-group discrepancies in the physician's and individual's experience questionnaires.

Both behavioral management program and standard communication approach considerably promoted periodontal health. Considering the two visits, the behavioral management program did not offer extra advantage vs. the standard method.