Specialty (dentistry)
Encyclopedia
In the United States
, Canada
, and Australia
, there are nine recognized dental specialties in which some dentist
s choose to train and practice, in addition to or instead of general dentistry
.
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
).
Specialists in these fields are designated "registrable" (in the United States
, "board eligible") and warrant exclusive titles such as 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.http://www.abdsm.org/ 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.
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.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, there are nine recognized dental specialties in which some dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
s choose to train and practice, in addition to or instead of general dentistry
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
.
To become a specialist requires training in a residency
Residency (medicine)
Residency is a stage of graduate medical training. A resident physician or resident is a person who has received a medical degree , Podiatric degree , Dental Degree and who practices...
or advanced graduate training program. Once a residency is completed, the doctor is granted a certificate
Certificate
Certificate may refer to:* Public key certificate, an electronic document used in cryptography* Certificate of deposit, or CD, a financial product commonly offered to consumers by banks, thrift institutions, and credit unions...
of specialty training. Many specialty programs have optional or required advanced degrees such as a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, such as the Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
(MS or MSc), Master of Dental Surgery/Science
Dental degree
There are a number of first professional degrees in dentistry offered by schools in various countries around the world. These include the following:* Doctor of Dental Surgery * Doctor of Dental Medicine * Bachelor of Dentistry...
(MDS/MDSc), Master of Dentistry
Dental degree
There are a number of first professional degrees in dentistry offered by schools in various countries around the world. These include the following:* Doctor of Dental Surgery * Doctor of Dental Medicine * Bachelor of Dentistry...
(MDent), Master of Clinical Dentistry
Dental degree
There are a number of first professional degrees in dentistry offered by schools in various countries around the world. These include the following:* Doctor of Dental Surgery * Doctor of Dental Medicine * Bachelor of Dentistry...
(MClinDent), Master of Philosophy
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
(MPhil), Master of Medical Science (MMS or (MMSc); doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
such as Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (DClinDent), Doctor of Medical Science/Sciences (DMSc), or PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
;or medical degree
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
: Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
/Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MD/MBBS) specific to maxillofacial surgery
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is surgery to correct a wide spectrum of diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region. It is an internationally recognized surgical specialty...
and sometimes oral medicine
Oral medicine
Oral medicine is the dental specialty placed at the interface between medicine and dentistry.- Scope :Oral medicine is concerned with diagnosis and non-surgical management of non-dental pathology affecting the oral and maxillofacial region, such as oral lichen planus, Behçet's disease and pemphigus...
).
Official specialties
- Dental public healthDental public healthDental public health is a non-clinical speciality of dentistry.Dental public health is involved in the assessment of dental health needs and improving the dental health of populations rather than individuals....
- The study of dental epidemiologyEpidemiologyEpidemiology is the study of health-event, health-characteristic, or health-determinant patterns in a population. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive...
and social health policies. - EndodonticsEndodonticsEndodontics is one of the dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons, and deals with the tooth pulp and the tissues surrounding the root of a tooth...
- Root canalRoot canalA root canal is the space within the root of a tooth. It is part of a naturally occurring space within a tooth that consists of the pulp chamber , the main canal, and more intricate anatomical branches that may connect the root canals to each other or to the surface of the root.-Root canal anatomy:...
therapy and study of diseases of the dental pulp. - Oral and maxillofacial pathologyPathologyPathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
- The study, diagnosis, and sometimes the treatment of oral and maxillofacial related diseases. - Oral and maxillofacial radiologyRadiologyRadiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
- The study and radiologic interpretation of oral and maxillofacial diseases. - Oral and maxillofacial surgeryOral and maxillofacial surgeryOral and maxillofacial surgery is surgery to correct a wide spectrum of diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region. It is an internationally recognized surgical specialty...
- ExtractionsExtraction (dental)A dental extraction is the removal of a tooth from the mouth. Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons, including tooth decay that has destroyed enough tooth structure to render the tooth non-restorable...
, implantsDental implantA dental implant is a "root" device, usually made of titanium, used in dentistry to support restorations that resemble a tooth or group of teeth to replace missing teeth....
, and facial surgery. - OrthodonticsOrthodonticsOrthodontics, orthodontia, or orthodonture is the first specialty of dentistry that is concerned with the study and treatment of malocclusions , which may be a result of tooth irregularity, disproportionate jaw relationships, or both...
and dentofacial orthopaedics - The straightening of teeth and modification of midface and mandibular growth. - PeriodonticsPeriodontologyPeriodontology or Periodontics is the specialty of dentistry that studies supporting structures of teeth, diseases, and conditions that affect them...
(also periodontology) - Study and treatment of diseases of the periodontiumPeriodontiumPeriodontium refers to the specialized tissues that both surround and support the teeth, maintaining them in the maxillary and mandibular bones. The word comes from the Greek terms peri-, meaning "around" and -odons, meaning "tooth." Literally taken, it means that which is "around the tooth"...
(non-surgical and surgical) as well as placement and maintenance of dental implants - Pediatric dentistryPediatric DentistryPediatric dentistry Pediatric dentistry Pediatric dentistry (formerly pedodontics (American English) or paedodontics (Commonwealth English) is the branch of dentistry dealing with childrenfrom birth through adolescence...
(formerly pedodontics) - Dentistry for children - ProsthodonticsProsthodonticsProsthodontics, also known as dental prosthetics or prosthetic dentistry, is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons...
- Dentures, bridgesBridge (dentistry)A bridge, also known as a fixed partial denture, is a dental restoration used to replace a missing tooth by joining permanently to adjacent teeth or dental implants....
and the restoration of implants. Some prosthodontists further their training in "oral and maxillofacial prosthodontics", which is the discipline concerned with the replacement of missing facial structures, such as ears, eyes, noses, etc.
Specialists in these fields are designated "registrable" (in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, "board eligible") and warrant exclusive titles such as orthodontist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, endodontist, pediatric dentist, periodontist, or prosthodontist upon satisfying certain local (U.S., "Board Certified"), (Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
: Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons
Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons
The Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons or RACDS is a professional college established in 1965 that administers Fellowship Exams for both general and specialist dental practitioners in the Australasian region...
, designated by the post-nominal
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
"FRACDS"), or (Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
: Fellow of the Royal College of Dentists
Royal College of Dentists
The Royal College of Dentists of Canada administers examinations for qualified dental specialists as part of the dentistry profession in Canada....
, 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.http://www.abdsm.org/ 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
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is a United States professional society for the medical subspecialty of sleep medicine. It was established in 1975. The AASM is the only professional society that is dedicated exclusively to the medical subspecialty of sleep medicine...
(AASM). (See sleep dentistry in the section of sleep medicine
Sleep medicine
Sleep medicine is a medical specialty or subspecialty devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of sleep disturbances and disorders. From the middle of the 20th century, research has provided increasing knowledge and answered many questions about sleep-wake functioning. The rapidly evolving field has...
about the US.)
A few other post-graduate formal advanced education programs: GPR, GDR, MTP residencies
Postgraduate training in general dentistry
-Australia:There are two forms of institution-based training for general dentistry available for dental school graduates in Australia:* General dental residency or Dental house officer, often abbreviated as GDR and DO respectively....
(advanced clinical and didactic training with intense hospital experience) and AEGD, SEGD, and GradDipClinDent programs
Postgraduate training in general dentistry
-Australia:There are two forms of institution-based training for general dentistry available for dental school graduates in Australia:* General dental residency or Dental house officer, often abbreviated as GDR and DO respectively....
(advanced training in clinical dentistry) are recognized but do not lead to specialization.
Other dental education exists where no postgraduate formal university training is required: cosmetic dentistry
Cosmetic dentistry
Cosmetic dentistry is generally used to refer to any dental work that improves the appearance of a person's teeth, gums and/or bite. Many dentists refer to themselves as "cosmetic dentists" regardless of their specific education, specialty, training, and experience in this field...
, dental implant
Dental implant
A dental implant is a "root" device, usually made of titanium, used in dentistry to support restorations that resemble a tooth or group of teeth to replace missing teeth....
, temporo-mandibular joint therapy
Temporomandibular joint disorder
Temporomandibular joint disorder , or TMJ syndrome, is an umbrella term covering acute or chronic inflammation of the temporomandibular joint, which connects the mandible to the skull. The disorder and resultant dysfunction can result in significant pain and impairment...
. 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
- Dental anesthesiologyDental anesthesiologyDental anesthesiology is the specialty of dentistry that deals with the management of pain through the use of advanced local and general anesthesia techniques.-Australia and New Zealand:...
- The study of how to relieve pain through advanced use of local and general anesthesia techniques is not yet considered to be one of the recognized dental specialties. However, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) is in the process of accrediting all dental anesthesiology programs. - Special needs dentistrySpecial needs dentistrySpecial needs dentistry, also known as special care dentistry, is a specialty of dentistry concerned with the oral health of people who have intellectual disability, or who are affected by other medical, physical, or psychiatric issues....
- Dentistry for those with developmental and acquired disabilities. It is a recognized specialty by the Royal Australasian College of Dental SurgeonsRoyal Australasian College of Dental SurgeonsThe Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons or RACDS is a professional college established in 1965 that administers Fellowship Exams for both general and specialist dental practitioners in the Australasian region...
. It has also been recently recognised as a specialty by the General Dental Council in the United Kingdom. The American Board Special Care Dentistry is hoping to also obtain accreditation for special needs dentistry by CODA., - Oral Biology - Research in Dental and Craniofacial Biology
- Forensic odontology - The gathering and use of dental evidence in law. This may be performed by any dentistDentistA dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
with experience or training in this field. The function of the forensic dentist is primarily documentation and verification of identity. - Geriatric dentistryGeriatric dentistryGeriatric dentistry or gerodontics is the delivery of dental care to older adults involving the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of problems associated with normal aging and age-related diseases as part of an interdisciplinary team with other health care professionals.-Overview:Last century has...
or Geriodontics - The delivery of dental care to older adults involving the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of problems associated with normal ageing and age-related diseases as part of an interdisciplinary team with other health care professionals. - Veterinary dentistryVeterinary dentistryVeterinary dentistry is the field of dentistry applied to the care of animals. It is the art and science of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions, diseases, and disorders of the oral cavity, the maxillofacial region, and its associated structures as it relates to animals.In the United...
, a speciality of veterinary medicineVeterinary medicineVeterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
- The field of dentistry applied to the care of animals.