Master of Science (M.S.)
Periodontics
University of Detroit Mercy
2009
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Faculty
Faculty
Crystal McIntosh, D.D.S., M.S.
Chair
Department/Office
- Periodontics
School/College
- College of Dentistry
Biography
Crystal McIntosh, D.D.S., M.S. is a board-certified periodontist and serves as a tenured associate professor and director of the Division of Periodontics at Howard University College of Dentistry. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Howard University in 2000, her Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree from Howard University College of Dentistry in 2006, and her Master of Science (M.S.) degree in periodontology from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry in Detroit, Michigan, in 2009.
McIntosh is a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Periodontology, the American Board of Periodontology, the American Dental Education Association, and Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society.
As director of the Division of Periodontics, McIntosh is dedicated to advancing periodontal education, mentoring future dental professionals, and promoting excellence in patient care. In addition to her academic responsibilities, she maintains an active private practice in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area, where her practice is limited to periodontics. Her clinical expertise includes routine periodontal therapy, periodontal plastic and esthetic surgery, regenerative periodontal procedures, and dental implant placement.
McIntosh’s research interests focus on the relationship between periodontal disease and systemic health, with particular emphasis on diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pregnancy outcomes. She has authored and co-authored several peer-reviewed scientific publications and has presented her research at local, regional, and national professional meetings.
Committed to service beyond the classroom and clinic, McIntosh participated in international dental mission trips to Haiti and Nigeria from 2013 through 2016. Alongside teams of dental students, she provided oral health education and delivered much-needed dental care—including extractions, prophylaxis, and preventive services—to underserved communities in Ti Rivier, Haiti, and Enugu, Nigeria. These experiences reflect her enduring commitment to improving access to oral healthcare and serving vulnerable populations.
While McIntosh takes great pride in her professional accomplishments as an educator, clinician, researcher, and humanitarian, she considers her greatest achievement to be her role as a devoted wife and mother. She remains passionate about advancing the specialty of periodontics, mentoring the next generation of dental professionals, expanding access to quality periodontal care, and pursuing new opportunities for leadership, scholarship, and service.
Education & Expertise
Education
Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.)
Dentistry
Howard University
2006
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Biology
Howard University
2000
Areas of Expertise
Periodontics
Academics
Academics
Periodontics I & II
Periodontal Literature Review
Introduction to Periodontics
AEGD Seminar/Conference
Accomplishments
Accomplishments
Outstanding Periodontal Faculty, 2018
Outstanding D3 Lecturer, 2018
Junior Best Lecturer, 2017
Exceptional Resident Faculty, 2017
Exceptional Periodontal Clinical Faculty, 2017
Student Council Outstanding D3 Lecturer, 2016
ADEA/Colgate-Palmolive/NDA Jeanne C. Sinkford Scholar, 2015
Publications and Presentations
Publications and Presentations
Toxicities of Penicillin, Clindamycin and Azithromycin
Toxicities of Penicillin, Clindamycin and Azithromycin
Penicillin, clindamycin (CM), and azithromycin (AZ) are the main broad-spectrum antibiotics utilized in dental practice.1,2 Drug toxicities include deleterious effects secondary to taking a drug, such as malignant transformation, GI distress, heart disease, cardiac conditions, fever, birth defects, predisposition to particular infections, drug allergy, and headache. Our concern with respect to this article are the more serious toxicities associated with penicillin, CM, and AZ.
Dental Management of Kidney Transplant Patient
Dental Management of Kidney Transplant Patient
After participating in this CE activity, the individual will learn:
• The reasons and the process regarding dentists performing a pretreatment dental/oral evaluation of patients scheduled for kidney transplant.
• The etiology and management issues related to drug- induced gingival overgrowth (DIGO).
An Unusual Case of Generalized Severe Gingival Enlargement in Pregnancy
An Unusual Case of Generalized Severe Gingival Enlargement in Pregnancy
Increased hormone levels that are present during puberty and pregnancy are associated with localized or generalized gingival enlargement. This article reviews the gingival alterations that can occur during pregnancy and describes a case of generalized severe gingival enlargement associated with pregnancy and its management. A 36-year-old woman had severe bilateral gingival enlargement of short duration. The patient denied taking any medications. The laboratory report revealed no systemic abnormalities; however, the report disclosed that she was pregnant. Surgical therapy for the gingival enlargement included gingivectomy and gingivoplasty of all quadrants, which reduced the size of the enlarged gingiva. Postoperative visits demonstrated uneventful healing, with no recurrence seen at the one-year follow-up appointment. It appears that the English literature includes only one other case report that discusses generalized gingival enlargement during pregnancy. Pregnancy-related gingival enlargement should be included as a differential diagnosis in women who have non-drug-induced generalized gingival enlargement.
Integrating LGBTQ Competency into the Dental School Curriculum
Integrating LGBTQ Competency into the Dental School Curriculum
Background
Decreasing healthcare disparities in marginalized communities requires healthcare providers who understand and appreciate social, economic, and cultural backgrounds. This includes care and education focused on individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ).
Methods
This study examined dental students’ and residents’ self-reported clinical preparedness, prejudicial attitudes (implicit and explicit), and knowledge of health disparities that exist in the LGBTQ community using the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Development of Clinical Skills Scale (LGBT-DOCSS) prior to and after the presentation of an LGBTQ competency course.
A review of the risks and relationships between oral health and chronic diseases
A review of the risks and relationships between oral health and chronic diseases
Advances in medical science and in preventive dentistry have changed the context of oral health. The American population is living longer with numerous complex chronic diseases. This paper is to raise awareness about the impact of multiple chronic diseases and their associations with oral diseases. Comorbidities can worsen the course of dental treatment. Inflammation has been the connecting factor in the bidirectional pattern of oral and systemic diseases. High occurrences of chronic diseases generally occur in aging as well as disadvantaged populations. Serious infections, slow healing, prolonged bleeding, and hospitalizations can escalate in patients with uncontrolled chronic diseases. A multidisciplinary team-based approach to patient management can minimize complications and unexpected challenges.
Management of Severe Intrusive Injury in an Immature Permanent Incisor
Management of Severe Intrusive Injury in an Immature Permanent Incisor
This case report describes the management of a severe traumatic intrusion presenting with an uncomplicated crown fracture, pulp necrosis and external root resorption in a 7-year-old African American female. The left maxillary central incisor (tooth No. 9) was intruded approximately 10 mm and inaccessible. The tooth was orthodontically extruded over the course of five months. Once exposed, a regenerative endodontic procedure under oral sedation was completed. Clinical and radiographic examinations during the follow-up period showed cessation of the resorption process and discontinuation of signs and symptoms.
Periodontal Disease and Systemic Health for Medical Students
Periodontal Disease and Systemic Health for Medical Students
The goal of this learning module is to provide instruction on currently-available knowledge regarding the association between periodontal disease and both cardiovascular outcomes and type 2 diabetes. It also aims to supplement the level of understanding through the use of case-based patient scenarios via an online module to third-year medical students. Research has identified associations between poor dental health and a worsening of systemic diseases or conditions including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory diseases, chronic kidney disease, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Periodontal disease is a common chronic infectious disease and it is characterized by a progressive gingival inflammatory response to bacterial plaque on the teeth that eventually leads to a loss of the involved teeth and the adjacent dental tissue. As there are common risk factors between oral and systemic diseases, one must be cautious when interpreting the literature and have a proper understanding of the role of potential confounding variables like socioeconomic status or health behavior, as well as a fundamental understanding of the different systemic diseases currently shown to be associated with poor oral health. This learning module was given to 11 third-year medical students; the estimated time for completion of the module ranged from 41 to 60 minutes. All respondents rated all objectives from excellent to satisfactory. The learning module is designed so that all students who take the module can send a completed evaluation form to the primary author so that the module can be constantly improved and updated. The module is also designed so that the students can check the corrected answers against the case scenario questions. The student can take the module and complete the stated objectives without faculty oversight.