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.
Cosmetic dentistry is generally used to refer to any dental work that improves the appearance of teeth, gums and/or bite. It primarily focuses on improvement in dental aesthetics in color, position, shape, size, alignment and overall smile appearance. Many dentists refer to themselves as "cosmetic dentists" regardless of their specific education, specialty, training, and experience in this field. This has been considered unethical with a predominant objective of marketing to patients. The American Dental Association does not recognize cosmetic dentistry as a formal specialty area of dentistry. However, there are still dentists that promote themselves as cosmetic dentists.
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a surgical specialty focusing on reconstructive surgery of the face, facial trauma surgery, the oral cavity, head and neck, mouth, and jaws, as well as facial cosmetic surgery/facial plastic surgery including cleft lip and cleft palate surgery.
Tooth whitening or tooth bleaching is the process of lightening the color of human teeth. Whitening is often desirable when teeth become yellowed over time for a number of reasons, and can be achieved by changing the intrinsic or extrinsic color of the tooth enamel. The chemical degradation of the chromogens within or on the tooth is termed as bleaching.
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."
In dentistry, a veneer is a layer of material placed over a tooth. Veneers can improve the aesthetics of a smile and protect the tooth's surface from damage.
A dental spa is a dental facility supervised by a licensed Oral Health Care Provider in which dental services are provided alongside spa treatments.
Dr. Manga Shiv Lingam Gowd, also known by the names M. S. Gowd or M. S. Goud, is a dental surgeon prosthodontist from Andhra Pradesh, India, with fellowship in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and many International Fellowships.
John Miller Hyson, Jr. was the former curator, director of curatorial services, and director of archives and history at the National Museum of Dentistry, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. He was also the author of many articles and books on the history of dentistry and was a practicing dentist for nearly 50 years.
Chiann Fan Gibson is an American dentist and beauty queen who has held the titles of Mrs. United States 2005, Miss Hawaiian Tropic World Finalist 1997, American Dream Calendar Girl 1995, Miss Washington USA 1989 and Washington's Jr. Miss 1986. Gibson was also chosen to compete to compete on ABC-TV modeling show, “Are You Hot?” 2003. Prize monies and scholarships Gibson won through pageantry helped pay for her childhood psychology degree from the University of Washington (1991) and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston Massachusetts, where she obtained her doctorate of Dental Medicine in 1995. She serves as President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Irwin Elliot Smigel was an American aesthetic dentist, innovator and philanthropist.
George A. Freedman, DDS is a Canadian dentist, inventor, and dental educator, who is regarded as an international leader in the field of cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry. He is married to Fay B. Goldstep, DDS,, with whom he has shared a private dental practice in Markham, Ontario, Canada, since 1988. Their daughter, Judy Freedman, is a Toronto-based broadcaster.
Gerald Peter Curatola, D.D.S., is a dentist, Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at New York University, known for his contributions in cosmetic dentistry. He is a dental contributor to Fox News Channel, AOL Health, and Dr. Oz, and has appeared on the Martha Stewart Show, NBC's Your Total Health, and ABC networks. Curatola is the founder of Rejuvenation Dentistry, and the co-inventor and co-developer of REVITIN Oral Therapy.
Kool Smiles is a dental services provider, based in the United States. Its headquarters are in the Kool Smiles Patient Support Center in Marietta, Georgia, U.S., in Greater Atlanta and has over 100 offices located across sixteen states.
There is a long history of women in dentistry in the United States.
There is a long history of women in dentistry. Women are depicted as assistant dentists in the middle ages. Prior to the 19th-century, dentistry was largely not yet a clearly defined and regulated profession with formal educational requirements. Individual female dentists are known from the 18th-century. When the profession was regulated in the 19th-century, it took a while before women achieved the formal education and permission to engage in dentistry.
Ducoin v. Viamonte was a 2009 legal decision in Florida that addressed the issue of whether or not a dentist has a right to announce credentials that are not recognized or approved by the American Dental Association.
Daniel Y. Sullivan was an American dentist, prosthodontist, author, and teacher credited with helping to bring the practice of osseointegrated dental implants, or the fusion of bone and titanium inside the mouth, to the United States. He worked alongside Swedish pioneer Per-Ingvar Brånemark to insert the U.S.’s first osseointegrated dental implants in 1982. In later years, he taught the technique to thousands of dentists, served as president of two prestigious dental membership organizations, and co-wrote one of the first textbooks in the United States on the subject of esthetic dental implants.
Robert G. Ritter is an American dentist and a co-founder of Ritter & Ramsey General and Cosmetic Dentistry based in Jupiter, Florida.
