Patient Review: How Colgate's PreviDent helped one patient improve his oral health over the years

Ray Olson shares his story and tells us how Colgate's PreviDent helped him turn his oral health around, and why he can't stop talking about it.

For a number of years, oral health was not a high priority for Ray Olsen and his family. Regular trips to the dentist did not take place and therefore the family’s oral health suffered somewhat.

But as Ray got a little older, he began to realize that many of his relatives were losing their teeth and this was something he decided he wanted to try and avoid.

“As a young person I had poor dental education and care,” he said. “Going to the dentist was not on my family’s schedule very often. By the time I reached adulthood, 75% of my immediate family had false teeth. Not a very good statistic!”

Not knowing any better, Ray seemed headed down the same path. That is before he met Dr. Susan Calderbank, who is a big proponent of the benefits of the PreviDent line of products.

“Lacking in dental knowledge, my young adult life was filled with dental corrections and a cloudy outlook,” Ray explained. “When I came under the care of Dr. Calderbank, 30-plus years ago, my outlook started to change. Dr. Calderbank and her staff invested time to educate me and gave me a plan to keep my teeth healthy. Since the implementation of my dental plan my story has changed.”

Dr. Calderbank prescribes PreviDent to all of her patients over the age of 35, but the products are also a must for any of her high-risk caries patients like Ray used to be.

“We put Ray on PreviDent when it was first introduced around 1985,” said Dr. Calderbank, who runs a general family practice in northwest Pennsylvania. “It’s such a superior product and I believe he has not had a cavity since.”

Ray said the practice does a great job keeping him up to speed with what products are available and what products can help him out. More than a decade ago, he started using PreviDent 5000.

“On my visits I enjoy being updated on new procedures and products,” he said. “During one of my visits, 10-plus years ago, I explained to Dr. Calderbank that I was experiencing some tooth sensitivity.”

Upon examining his teeth, Dr. Calderbank suggested Ray start using PreviDent 5000. “She explained how the product worked, its benefits and the fact that it was just good science. The sensitivity disappeared within a week and unlike the majority of my family members, I still have my teeth,” Ray said.

The happy patient has now converted to using PreviDent 5000 Booster Plus and said   “it is easy to use and the taste is pleasing.”

Ray likes the product so much he spreads the word of its benefits to students and colleagues at his school.

“I like knowing that it is an ‘all in one’ product with the minerals right in the toothpaste. I am a teacher and have enjoyed passing on the healthy tips I have learned at Dr. Calderbank’s practice to my students,” he said. “I also recommend using PreviDent 5000 Booster Plus to my fellow teachers. I plan on 30 more years of good dental health!”