When David Hanle, DMD, walked into a lecture hall in 2018, he expected to learn something new about dentistry. What he didn’t expect was that one afternoon would alter the course of his 27-year career practicing traditional preventive and restorative.
“I left that lecture telling myself, ‘Knowing what I know now, I cannot go back to work Monday and do what I have been doing,’” says Dr. Hanle.
The presentation focused on the “oral systemic link”— how bacteria and inflammation in the mouth influence cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, chronic inflammation and other major health issues. For Dr. Hanle, the message hit home. The connection between oral bacteria and whole-body disease was no longer a theory. It was a call to action.
That shift reshaped Complete Health Dentistry of the Emerald Coast, the practice he established in 1991. Dr. Hanle and his team help patients understand how oral health affects heart health, brain health, sleep, digestion and overall longevity. The practice still provides general dentistry—fillings, crowns, dentures, veneers and orthodontic clear aligners—but its larger mission has broadened significantly.
“We are a traditional preventive dentistry practice with a deep understanding of the oral systemic connection and the procedures necessary to improve and maintain your overall health,” Dr. Hanle says. “What happens in the mouth happens in the rest of the body.”
Dr. Hanle and his family moved to Shalimar in 1979 after his father, an Air Force officer, was reassigned. He attended Meigs Middle School and Choctawhatchee High School, later earning degrees from Auburn University and the University of Alabama School of Dentistry.
After dental school, he returned home and opened his practice inside the office of Charles Ferdon,DDS, his childhood dentist. More than three decades later, he still treats patients from all over the Florida Panhandle and even neighboring Alabama.
Dr. Hanle believes most people underestimate how much the mouth can reveal about a person’s overall health. “The mouth is an entry portal into the body. What you put into your body matters. The mouth reflects how well you’re taking care of yourself and your current state of health. If it is in your mouth, it is in your heart, your lungs and your brain.”
Gum disease and oral bacteria have been associated with early cardiovascular changes, oxidative stress and systemic inflammation. Researchers now describe a bidirectional relationship: poor oral health can aggravate chronic disease, and chronic disease can worsen oral inflammation.
“Improving oral health is not just about avoiding cavities,” Dr. Hanle says. “It’s part of a long-term strategy to reduce chronic inflammation throughout the body.”
Complete Health Dentistry focuses on identifying and addressing risk factors linked to a variety of diseases and conditions, drawing from a patient’s medical history, structural analysis and microbiologic testing. “We evaluate each person as an individual with unique goals and concerns and create personalized treatment plans for better health,” Dr. Hanle explains.
One of the practice’s more specialized tools is soft-tissue laser therapy. The noninvasive procedure stimulates collagen production and strengthens the soft palate, which can benefit patients dealing with snoring or sleep apnea. The team also uses 3D imaging to examine bone and soft tissues in the head and neck, looking for structural clues that might indicate systemic problems.
“As a dentist, I can recognize physical signs of potential systemic issues in the oral and airway
passages,” Dr. Hanle says. “Our goal is to optimize people’s oral and nasal environment to improve their health in the entire body.”
The practice’s approach extends to the youngest patients. Dr. Hanle believes that creating a calm,safe environment helps children feel comfortable enough to learn about oral habits. Parents receive guidance, educational materials and online resources to help promote dental health at home.That preventive focus is one reason the practice has aligned itself with emerging national programs.
Complete Health Dentistry is among only about 50 providers in the country offering ReCode—a protocol aimed at Alzheimer’s prevention and early intervention. Oral pathogens, particularly those linked to gum disease, are increasingly studied for their role in neurodegeneration.
“My goal with all of my patients is to reduce and eliminate oral bacteria that are systemically
pathogenic,” Hanle said. “Those bacteria can create or worsen systemic diseases such as heart attacks, strokes and Alzheimer’s disease.”
Hanle says none of these efforts would be possible without the practice’s staff. “The team here is what makes everything possible. They embrace the challenges of this new frontier with all of their heart and soul and strive to help all patients reach their desired goals.”
While team members come from diverse backgrounds, they share a single mission: to improve patients’ lives. They aim to create a friendly, caring environment that feels comfortable, educational and uplifting. Dr. Hanle says of his staff: “They embrace the challenges of this new frontier with all of
their heart and soul and strive to help all patients reach their desired goals.”
The busiest segment—and probably the most popular—of Complete Health Dentistry is the hygiene team. They know that preventive dentistry, which is the backbone of the practice, helps patients achieve a healthier life.
Dr. Hanle believes that, while the gap between dentistry and medicine is narrowing, it needs to narrow further. “Dentistry has been separated from medicine for a while now, but everything is connected. If you don’t address everything, it’s hard to solve anything.”
He hopes to see collaborative dental and medical care become the norm. “Optimizing oral and airway health improves whole-body health,” Dr. Hanle points out. “This is the future of dentistry.”
"Improving oral health isn’t just preventing cavities; it’s a long-term strategy to reduce chronic inflammation throughout the body."
“We are a traditional preventive dentistry practice with a deep understanding of the oral systemic
connection and the procedures necessary to improve and maintain your overall health.”