Anchored in evidence-based learning, this text focuses on the fundamental principles of therapy and pathogenesis with concise definitions, precise objectives, and helpful lists not only of key words but of key points. It simplifies many of the complexities of the disease process without confusing them, and provides clear links back to practical aspects of therapy. A four-part organization covers background, assessment, prevention, and treatment, and prepares the clinician for the inevitable advances in chemotherapy and diagnostics—the clinical management hallmark of periodontal diseases in the future.