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The present clinical study aimed to investigate if there are differences in microbiological outcomes dependent on the subgingival biofilm collection method. Subgingival biofilm samples were collected from the four deepest pockets (>5 mm) of 17 patients with aggressive periodontitis (AgP) and 33 patients with chronic periodontitis (CP), first by paper point and thereafter by curette. Samples obtained with the same method were pooled together from each patient and forwarded for molecular microbiological analysis by a commercially available assay (IAI Pado Test 4.5) that estimates total bacterial load and levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Data analysis included frequency of detection, quantification and correlation of detection levels between the two sampling methods. P. gingivalis, T. forsythia and T. denticola were detected in >90% of the samples, and their detection levels exhibited a strong correlation between sampling methods. The detection consistency of A. actinomycetemcomitans was 56% between the two sampling methods. A. actinomycetemcomitans was more readily detected by paper point compared with curette collection with a stronger correlation between the two methods in AgP. Subgingival biofilm sampling by curette or paper point does not yield differences in the detection of the three 'red complex' species. However, A. actinomycetemcomitans was more consistently detected by means of paper point collection, which can be crucial in the decision to administer antibiotics as an adjunctive periodontal treatment., (© 2013 APMIS. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)