When HuFriedyGroup set out to develop air-polishing products to address the unique challenges of each patient, it did so with clinicians like Ryan H. Yim, DDS, in mind. Yim is a board-certified periodontist based in Honolulu, Hawaii, whose practice has a clinical focus on implant maintenance and periodontal therapy. When Yim introduced glycine air polishing into his practice, it enhanced both his patients’ experiences and their clinical outcomes.
The first patient to experience air polishing in Yim’s office was Yim himself. A heavy coffee drinker currently undergoing Invisalign treatment, he had visible staining and wanted to see firsthand what the technology could accomplish. “Within seconds, the staining was all gone,” he recalls. “The word I used to describe the experience was ‘pleasant.’” That same description would soon be echoed by his patients, many of whom would report that their teeth felt cleaner and smoother. And importantly, none of them reported experiencing discomfort during treatment.
Yim, who completed his dental training at Creighton University and his periodontal residency at Oregon Health & Science University before returning to Honolulu in 2018 to begin practice, had long been aware of the conclusions drawn in the clinical literature about glycine and erythritol air-polishing powders, particularly regarding their safety around implants and soft tissue. “I was intrigued by how air polishing might be used around implants, especially because so many hygienists—and even some dentists—weren’t sure how best to clean implants,” he says. Still, Yim waited until the evidence base had grown. “I tend to be cautious about adopting new technologies,” he explains. “I like to wait until there’s sufficient research and clinical consensus. By early 2025, the evidence was strong: air polishing is effective, patients prefer it, and it’s safe.”
His practice now uses HuFriedyGroup’s glycine PWR Perio Powder—primarily with a supragingival handpiece. However, even without a subgingival tip, Yim notes that they’ve seen the spray reach just below the gingiva without causing sensitivity. “When angled properly, you can visibly see the sulcus open and material being flushed out,” he explains. “What’s remarkable is that patients don’t report feeling anything—no pain or sensitivity.”
The product’s fine glycine powder removes both supra- and subgingival biofilm while remaining gentle on soft tissue and implant surfaces. According to Yim, its performance has been especially valuable for patients with hybrid bridges or full-arch restorations where access is limited. “Short of removing the prosthesis, there’s no better way to clean under and around those areas,” he says. Yim also appreciates the PWR Pair Piezoelectric Scaler & Air Polisher’s small but meaningful features—such as the system’s use of warmed water—which has proven helpful for patients with sensitivity.
Six months after implementation, clinical outcomes at Yim’s practice have shown measurable improvement. “We’re seeing better plaque scores, improved gingival health, and lower bleeding indices,” he says. “Part of this is that patients are more aware of their oral hygiene. We take videos of the air polisher in action and sometimes disclose plaque to show patients what’s actually on their teeth. That’s powerful visual feedback.”
Although Yim’s hygienists still use traditional tools such as hand scalers and ultrasonics, air polishing has become their preferred starting point. “Air polishing is great at removing early plaque and even soft calculus, but we’ll still use other tools where needed,” he says. “That said, our hygienists now reach for the air polisher first.”
Implementing air polishing has also yielded noticeable benefits to Yim’s workflow. Appointments are often 10 to 15 minutes shorter, which helps to facilitate both increased patient volume and more meaningful interaction with each patient. “Our hygienists love it,” Yim says. “Some of them also work in other offices that don’t have air polishers, and they’ve told me that they wish they did.”
Importantly, air polishing has expanded conservative options for care, particularly for Yim’s patients with moderate pockets who are not yet candidates for surgery. “It’s not a replacement for surgery, and I want to be clear about that,” he emphasizes. “But in some cases where we might have used localized antibiotics, we now use the air polisher instead to disrupt biofilm in those deeper pockets.”
With improved efficiency, happier patients, and better clinical outcomes, Yim’s experience with glycine air polishing reflects a broader shift in modern periodontal care—one that embraces technology not just for the sake of it, but to meaningfully enhance the patient experience.
MANUFACTURER INFORMATION:
HuFriedyGroup
hufriedygroup.com
800-483-7433
Figures and Images
Ryan H. Yim, DDS
