It started as a simple conversation, one of those trade floor moments at RDH Under One Roof this summer. Between sessions on innovation and patient care, I worked up the nerve to share an idea close to my heart: Alzheimer’s prevention. That nerve led to a conversation with Whitney Howerton, vice president of sales and marketing at Paradise Dental Technologies (PDT). My idea was small but powerful: what if dentistry could help fund brain health research, one instrument at a time?
Less than 30 days later, that idea became a plan. PDT committed to donating a portion of proceeds from every purple-handled instrument sold between November 23 and 29 to support Alzheimer’s research and prevention efforts.
Purple has long symbolized hope and solidarity in the Alzheimer’s community. For PDT, it’s now more than a color—it’s a cause. Each purple instrument purchased represents not just innovation and craftsmanship, but compassion. It’s a way for clinicians to give back simply by doing what they do best—provide care.
A shared mission: Oral health and brain health
The connection between oral health and cognitive decline is no longer theory, it’s science. Studies have shown that periodontal disease and chronic inflammation can influence systemic health, including the brain. Oral pathogens like Porphyromonas gingivalis are increasingly linked to brain inflammation and cognitive deficits.
Rather than being discovered only in late stages of disease, these bacteria and their toxic byproducts can travel through the bloodstream or nerves, fueling the inflammation that contributes to Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain. Researchers continue to explore how early detection and preventive dental care may reduce long-term risk for dementia.
For clinicians, this means our daily work—cleanings, education, early intervention—is part of a much larger picture. Dentistry doesn’t just save smiles; it protects minds.
Alzheimer’s by the numbers
- Nearly seven million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s today.1
- By 2050, that number is projected to reach nearly 13 million.1
- Every 67 seconds, someone in the US develops the disease.2
- Women make up two-thirds of those diagnosed.3
- The annual cost of care in the US exceeds $781 billion, much of it shouldered by families.4
While the statistics are staggering, they’re not hopeless. Research shows that up to 45% of dementia cases may be delayed or prevented through lifestyle and medical interventions, many of which overlap with oral-systemic prevention: reducing inflammation, managing cardiovascular health, maintaining nutrition, and improving sleep and oxygenation.
Giving back, one instrument at a time
PDT’s purple initiative blends practicality with purpose. Dental professionals already rely on PDT instruments for their precision, ergonomics, and longevity. Now, every purple handle purchased becomes part of a ripple effect, funding research, education, and prevention programs aimed at slowing or stopping Alzheimer’s disease.
For clinicians, it’s a chance to refresh their operatories with new tools while joining a movement bigger than themselves. The impact doesn’t end at the operatory door; it extends to the families, caregivers, and patients affected by dementia.
A year of reflection and hope
This past year has been one of reconnection for the dental community. We’ve gone beyond simply returning to conferences. We’ve reignited relationships, strengthened our shared purpose, and deepened collaboration with medicine as we bridge the gap between oral health and total wellness. This year has brought challenges that taught us resilience, empathy, and the value of prevention, values that align perfectly with Alzheimer’s awareness and research.
As we look ahead, initiatives like PDT’s serve as reminders that progress isn’t found only in scientific breakthroughs but in acts of collective compassion. One clinician choosing a purple handle may seem small, but multiplied across thousands of practices, it becomes a movement.
Why it matters
Alzheimer’s doesn’t just affect memory—it reshapes lives, families, and communities. For those in health care, the disease is a call to action: to educate, screen, and care with a broader lens. By supporting research and prevention, we’re investing in the future health of our patients, our families, and ourselves.
When you pick up a purple instrument this November, you’re not just improving a patient’s oral health; you’re helping protect someone’s mind. You’re honoring those lost, supporting those fighting, and strengthening the bridge between dentistry and medicine.
This Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, let’s show what the dental community can do when compassion and science work hand in hand.
One color. One cause. One week to make a difference.
November 23–29: Choose purple. Choose prevention.
References
1. 2025 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Alzheimer’s Association. 2025. https://www.alz.org/getmedia/ef8f48f9-ad36-48ea-87f9-b74034635c1e/alzheimers-facts-and-figures.pdf
2. Every 67 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s. Walk to End Alzheimer’s. https://act.alz.org/site/DocServer/over_the_clock_sign.pdf?docID=17941
3. The Alzheimer’s disease crisis by the numbers. Us against Alzheimer’s. https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/learn/alzheimers-crisis
4. The cost of dementia in 2025. USC. April 23, 2025. https://schaeffer.usc.edu/research/the-cost-of-dementia-in-2025/
5. Livingston G, Huntley J, Liu KY, et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission. Lancet. 2024;404(10452):572-628. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01296-0
