Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions of the mouth, most commonly focused on dentition as well as the oral mucosa. Dentistry may also encompass other aspects of the craniofacial complex including the temporomandibular joint. The practitioner is called a dentist.
The Canada Health Act, adopted in 1984, is the federal legislation in Canada for publicly-funded health insurance, commonly called "medicare", and sets out the primary objective of Canadian healthcare policy.
The University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry is a dental school located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the ten dental schools in Canada. It is the largest dental school in Canada with a range of undergraduate and graduate level programs with a total enrolment in the range of 560. The faculty is located at the heart of Downtown Toronto's Discovery District, a neighbourhood with a high concentration of hospitals and research institutes, just south of the University of Toronto's St. George campus. In 2014, the Faculty of Dentistry joined the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration (TAAAC), providing support in building capacity for oral health in Ethiopia by creating collaborative teaching opportunities.
The American Dental Association (ADA) is an American professional association established in 1859 which has more than 161,000 members. Based in the American Dental Association Building in the Near North Side of Chicago, the ADA is the world's largest and oldest national dental association. The organization lobbies on behalf of the American dental profession and provides dental accreditation.
A dental hygienist or oral hygienist is a licensed dental professional, registered with a dental association or regulatory body within their country of practice. Prior to completing clinical and written board examinations, registered dental hygienists must have either an associate's or bachelor's degree in dental hygiene from an accredited college or university. Once registered, hygienists are primary healthcare professionals who work independently of or alongside dentists and other dental professionals to provide full oral health care. They have the training and education that focus on and specialize in the prevention and treatment of many oral diseases.
Dental assistants are members of the dental team. They support a dental operator in providing more efficient dental treatment. Dental assistants are distinguished from other groups of dental auxiliaries by differing training, roles and patient scopes.
The California Dental Association (CDA) is a nonprofit, professional organization representing organized dentistry in California. Founded in 1870, CDA’s membership currently consists of 27,000 dentists in 32 local dental societies throughout the state of California, making it the largest constituent of the American Dental Association.
Canada's Drug Agency is a pan-Canadian health organization responsible for coordinating and aligning drug policy across provinces and territories. The CDA provides Canada's various healthcare organizations with evidence-based advice, allowing them to make informed choices about drug, health technology, and health system policies, in collaboration with international partners. Its role differs from that of Health Canada in that it can provide data on the comparative effectiveness of drugs and make recommendations that factor in metrics beyond safety and quality, including cost effectiveness.
Dental laboratories manufacture or customize a variety of products to assist in the provision of oral health care by a licensed dentist. These products include crowns, bridges, dentures and other dental products. Dental lab technicians follow a prescription from a licensed dentist when manufacturing these items, which include prosthetic devices and therapeutic devices. The FDA regulates these products as medical devices and they are therefore subject to FDA's good manufacturing practice ("GMP") and quality system ("QS") requirements. In most cases, however, they are exempt from manufacturer registration requirements. Some of the most common restorations manufactured include crowns, bridges, dentures, and dental implants. Dental implants is one of the most advanced dental technologies in the field of dentistry.
The Arizona Dental Association (AzDA) is a constituent society of the American Dental Association that encourages improvements in public oral health and promotes the art and science of dentistry through leadership, education and information. AzDA was established in 1909 as a nonprofit professional membership organization currently representing over 2500 members, which is approximately 80% of all licensed dentists in Arizona. AzDA also manages three local component organizations, Central Arizona Dental Society (CADS), Northern Arizona Dental Society (NADS) and Southern Arizona Dental Society (SADS).
The Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) is a professional organization in Canada for those involved in land use planning. It is responsible for advocating at national and international levels for members, developing public policy positions, and providing services to members. The Institute has over 8,000 members from across Canada and around the world, and works closely with the eleven Provincial and Territorial Institutes and Associations (PTIAs). It was founded in 1919.
The FDI World Dental Federation is an international organization representing the dental profession to oral health by developing health policies, education programs, and advocating for dentistry internationally.
The American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) is the largest national United States organization representing the professional interests of more than 185,000 dental hygienists across the country. Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals, licensed in dental hygiene, who provide educational, clinical and therapeutic services that support total health through the promotion of oral health. Its headquarters are in the Near North Side, Chicago.
The National Dental Association (NDA) is a professional association of minority dentists based in Washington, D.C., and operating in the United States, Canada and Latin America. Formed in 1913, it is the largest such association in the world. Among the aims of the NDA is extending dental treatment and education to impoverished, disabled or minority populations, as well as those who may not be able to seek proper care due to age. It also works to maintain professional standards in dentistry and to encourage dental careers among minority populations.
The University of Michigan School of Dentistry is the dental school of the University of Michigan, a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Established in 1875, the School of Dentistry engages in oral and craniofacial health care education, research, patient care and community service.
Oral Health America (OHA) was a national 501(C)3 non-profit charity organization established in 1955 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. OHA connected communities with resources to increase access to healthcare, education, and advocacy for all Americans.
Indian Dental Association (IDA) represents dental professionals in India. Established in 1949, The association currently has more than 75,000 members, 450 local branches, 28 state branches and 8 Union Territory branches and 1 Defence branch across India. The professional association is committed to public oral health, ethics, science and advancement of dental professionals through its initiatives in advocacy, education, research and development of standards.
The Ontario Dental Association is the largest dental association in Canada, representing the dentist of the province of Ontario. It has over 11,000 members, and represents the interests of its members through a variety of initiatives. Including numerous avenues of advocacy including national, provincial and municipal governments. It also works with members and the public with a variety of oral health issues.
The Uganda Dental Association (UDA) is a registered non-governmental organization that brings together all the qualified dental surgeons retired or practicing in Uganda. Headquartered in Uganda's capital city Kampala, the UDA serves its members and the public by managing key oral health issues on their behalf and by coordinating dental health awareness programs across the nation.
John C. Greene was an American dentist and public health administrator. He was a rear admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and served as the Deputy Surgeon General of the United States under President Carter from 1978 to 1981. He was the Acting Surgeon General from January to May 1981 under Ronald Reagan. He was the highest ranking non-physician public health officer in the history of the U.S. government.
