ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to compare the periodontopathogen prevalence and tetracycline resistance genes in Dominican patients with different periodontal conditions.MethodsSeventy-seven samples were collected from healthy, gingivitis, chronic (CP) and aggressive (AgP) periodontitis patients. Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, Parvimonas micra, Eikenella corrodens and Dialister pneumosintes and 11 resistance genes were studied by PCR. P. gingivalis fimA genotype was determined.ResultsIn healthy patients, P. micra and P. intermedia were the most and least frequently detected, respectively. T. forsythia and E. corrodens appeared in 100 % of gingivitis patients. Red complex, D. pneumosintes and E. corrodens were significantly more prevalent in CP compared to healthy patients. F. nucleatum and T. denticola were detected more frequently in AgP. A. actinomycetemcomitans was the most rarely observed in all groups. The fimA II genotype was the most prevalent in periodontitis patients. Seven tetracycline-resistant genes were detected. tet(Q), tet(32) and tet(W) showed the greatest prevalence. tet(32) was significantly more prevalent in CP than in healthy patients.ConclusionsRed complex bacteria and D. pneumosintes were significantly the most prevalent species among periodontitis patients. T. forsythia was the most frequently detected in this population. To our knowledge, this is the first study describing the tet(32) gene in subgingival biofilm from healthy and periodontally diseased subjects.Clinical relevanceThis study contributes to the knowledge on the subgingival microbiota and its resistance genes of a scarcely studied world region. Knowing the prevalence of resistance genes could impact on their clinical prescription and could raise awareness to the appropriate use of antibiotics.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00784-015-1516-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.