Dental specialty

Last updated

In the United States and Canada, there are twelve recognized dental specialties in which some dentists choose to train and practice, in addition to or instead of general dentistry. In the United Kingdom and Australia, there are thirteen. [1] [2]

Contents

To become a specialist requires training in a residency or advanced graduate training program. Once a residency is completed, the doctor is granted a certificate of specialty training. Many specialty programs have optional or required advanced degrees such as a master's degree, such as the Master of Science (MS or MSc), Master of Dental Surgery/Science (MDS/MDSc), Master of Dentistry (MDent), Master of Clinical Dentistry (MClinDent), Master of Philosophy (MPhil), Master of Medical Science (MMS or (MMSc); doctorate such as Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (DClinDent), Doctor of Medical Science/Sciences (DMSc), or PhD;or medical degree: Doctor of Medicine/Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MD/MBBS) specific to maxillofacial surgery and sometimes oral medicine).

Official specialties

Specialists in these fields are designated "registrable" (in the United States, "board eligible") and warrant exclusive titles such as dentist anesthesiologist, orthodontist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, endodontist, pediatric dentist, periodontist, or prosthodontist upon satisfying certain local (U.S., "Board Certified"), (Australia and New Zealand: Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons, designated by the post-nominal "FRACDS"), or (Canada: Fellow of the Royal College of Dentists, designated by the postnominal "FRCD(C)") registry requirements.

The American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM) provides board-certification examinations annually for qualified dentists. These dentists collaborate with sleep physicians at accredited sleep centers and can provide oral appliance therapy and upper airway surgery to treat sleep-related breathing disorders. While Diplomate status granted by the ABDSM is not one of the recognized dental specialties, it is recognized by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). (See sleep dentistry in the section of sleep medicine about the US.)

A few other post-graduate formal advanced education programs: GPR, GDR, MTP residencies (advanced clinical and didactic training with intense hospital experience) and AEGD, SEGD, and GradDipClinDent programs (advanced training in clinical dentistry) are recognized but do not lead to specialization. There are CODA (Council on Dental Accreditation) programs in Orofacial Pain at more than ten Dental Schools in the USA.

Other dental education exists where no postgraduate formal university training is required: cosmetic dentistry, dental implant, temporo-mandibular joint therapy. These usually require the attendance of one or more continuing education courses that typically last for one to several days. There are restrictions on allowing these dentists to call themselves specialists in these fields. The specialist titles are registrable titles and controlled by the local dental licensing bodies.

Other specialties or studies

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dentistry</span> Branch of medicine

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dentist</span> Health care occupations caring for the mouth and teeth

A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a health care professional who specializes in dentistry, the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. The dentist's supporting team aids in providing oral health services. The dental team includes dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental technicians, and sometimes dental therapists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endodontics</span> Field of dentistry

Endodontics is the dental specialty concerned with the study and treatment of the dental pulp.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a surgical specialty focusing on reconstructive surgery of the face, facial trauma surgery, the oral cavity (mouth), head and neck, and jaws, as well as facial cosmetic surgery/facial plastic surgery including cleft lip and cleft palate surgery.

Prosthodontics, also known as dental prosthetics or prosthetic dentistry, is the area of dentistry that focuses on dental prostheses. It is one of 12 dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA), Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons. The ADA defines it as "the dental specialty pertaining to the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of the oral function, comfort, appearance and health of patients with clinical conditions associated with missing or deficient teeth or oral and maxillofacial tissues using biocompatible substitutes."

A number of professional degrees in dentistry are offered by dental schools in various countries around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UCLA School of Dentistry</span> Medical school in Los Angeles, California, United States

The UCLA School of Dentistry is the dental school of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) located in the Center for Health Sciences building in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. The school has several educational and training programs, conducts oral and dental health research, and offers affordable dental care at three locations: Westwood, Venice, and Inglewood. The school also participates in several outreach endeavors, including numerous health fairs during the year, STEM pipeline programs and provides dental care for underserved populations in the region. The School of Dentistry is considered among the nation's best research-intensive dental schools.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine is the dental school of the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). It is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is one of Pitt's six schools of the health sciences and one of several dental schools in Pennsylvania. It is closely affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The School of Dental Medicine accepted 3.6% of applicants for the class of 2016, a record low for the school's entire history.

An oral medicine or stomatology doctor/dentist has received additional specialized training and experience in the diagnosis and management of oral mucosal abnormalities including oral cancer, salivary gland disorders, temporomandibular disorders and facial pain, taste and smell disorders; and recognition of the oral manifestations of systemic and infectious diseases. It lies at the interface between medicine and dentistry. An oral medicine doctor is trained to diagnose and manage patients with disorders of the orofacial region.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to dentistry and oral health:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dental education throughout the world</span>

Dentistry throughout the world is practiced differently, and training in dentistry varies as well.

Restorative dentistry is the study, diagnosis and integrated management of diseases of the teeth and their supporting structures and the rehabilitation of the dentition to functional and aesthetic requirements of the individual. Restorative dentistry encompasses the dental specialties of endodontics, periodontics and prosthodontics and its foundation is based upon how these interact in cases requiring multifaceted care. This may require the close input from other dental specialties such as orthodontics, paediatric dentistry and special care dentistry, as well as surgical specialties such as oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Oral and maxillofacial pathology refers to the diseases of the mouth, jaws and related structures such as salivary glands, temporomandibular joints, facial muscles and perioral skin. The mouth is an important organ with many different functions. It is also prone to a variety of medical and dental disorders.

Carl E. Misch was an American prosthodontist recognized internationally for his clinical and academic contributions to the field of implant dentistry.

Special needs dentistry, also known as special care dentistry, is a dental specialty that deals with the oral health problems of geriatric patients, patients with intellectual disabilities, and patients with other medical, physical, or psychiatric issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pediatric dentistry</span> Branch of dentistry

Pediatric dentistry is the branch of dentistry dealing with children from birth through adolescence. The specialty of pediatric dentistry is recognized by the American Dental Association, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons.

The practice of dentistry in the United States is overseen by several agencies, including the American Dental Association, the Commission on Dental Accreditation, and the regional boards. Ultimate licensure is the responsibility of individual states. There are roughly 190,000 practicing dentists in the United States.

Conservative Dentistry, also known as operative dentistry or crown and bridge dentistry, is the area of dentistry that focuses on dental crowns and bridges.

References

  1. ↑ "Looking for a specialist". Specialist Orthodontist Harley Street. Archived from the original on 2020-09-22. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  2. ↑ "Dental Board of Australia – Specialist Registration".
  3. ↑ "Anesthesiology recognized as a dental specialty". www.ada.org. Archived from the original on 2020-10-23. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
  4. ↑ "Special Care Dentistry: Education & Courses: Diplomate". Scdaonline.org. Archived from the original on 2011-10-06. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  5. ↑ Cinotti, Debra A.; Perlman, Steven P.; Fenton, Sanford J.; Waldman, H. Barry (February 2005). "Preparing Dental Graduates to Provide Care to Individuals with Special Needs". Journal of Dental Education. 69 (2): 249–254. doi:10.1002/j.0022-0337.2005.69.2.tb03910.x. PMID   15689609. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  6. ↑ "Sports dentistry". FDI World Dental Federation. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  7. ↑ "AVDC Home". Avdc.org. 2009-11-29. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  8. ↑ "EVDC web site". Evdc.info. Archived from the original on 2018-09-05. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  9. ↑ Ma, Adrian; Wong, Wailin (2024-06-11). "What is Dental Therapy and why is the American Dental Association pushing against it?". Economy. NPR . Retrieved 2024-06-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.