Dental Specialists are a Great Resource for Patients and Dentists

Question: “It seems like dentists don’t do as much as they used to. I’ve seen three specialists in the past two years for things that my old dentist used to do for me. Why is that?”

Answer: The most common dental specialties are oral surgery, periodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, orthodontics, and pedodontics. In school, dentists receive training in all of these areas, and this gives dental school graduates some exposure to the different types of procedures patients often need, in addition to the typical services performed in the realm of general dentistry.

This experience sometimes leads graduates to an interest in continuing their education in a specialty program. These post-graduate programs usually require an additional two to four years of advanced training after dental school. When dentists finish these rigorous post-graduate degrees, they have licensed specialists in their particular area of concentration.

Dental specialists provide wonderful support for general dentists and their patients. Their advanced education beyond dental school makes them exceptional resources for care when the complexity of a particular procedure is beyond the “comfort zone” of a general dentist. General dentists can perform many of these procedures, but will often elect to refer a patient to a specialist if they feel that it is in the patient’s best interest.

My personal philosophy has always been to refer a patient to a specialist if I feel that they would do a better job for the patient. If I treat every patient as I would a member of my own family, everyone is assured the best care possible.

Some dentists receive training beyond dental school that gives them the experience and knowledge necessary to do fantastic work outside the purview of general dentistry. This additional training does not make them specialists, but it better prepares them to perform certain complex procedures.

The important thing to remember is that your dentist should be concerned with what is in your best interest. If that means referring you to a specialist for a given procedure, then he is probably doing the right thing for you.