Types of Dental Experts
With the field of medicine experiencing transformative advancements each year, several different dental specialists now treat a range of problems.
This blog will discuss the most common dental credentials and help you make the right choice when booking your appointment.
It will also give you a few tips on spotting the difference between a qualified and unqualified dentist. Here are the top three things you should consider when choosing a practitioner for your treatment.
Check that they are GDC-registered
In the UK, practising dentistry without being registered with the GDC (General Dentistry Committee) is illegal.
The committee protects patient safety and maintains public confidence in dental services.
To achieve this, they register qualified dental professionals, set standards for the dental team and investigate complaints.
This is why we have included the GDC numbers of all our specialists.
Check the practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission
A good dentist will also be registered with the Care Quality Commission, which is the institution responsible for checking that medical, dental and care services meet national standards.
Check your dentist’s qualifications
To be awarded their Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) and practice dentistry, a dentist must have completed five years of undergraduate training. Below, we have outlined the most common degrees your practitioner may possess, which will help you spot the difference between their qualifications.
The Degrees acknowledged worldwide across North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia are:
- Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
- Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)
- Doctor of Dentistry (DDent)
- Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)
- Bachelor of Dentistry (BDent)
- Bachelor of Dental Science (BDSc)
- Bachelor of Science in Dental (BScD)
- Bachelor Degree in Dentistry (BDS)
However, it doesn’t end there. Competent professionals will likely have more than one degree or have completed a specialisation like the ones discussed below. If your dentist holds a post-graduate degree in dentistry, their credentials will likely look similar to these:
- Master of Science (MS or MSc)
- Master of Science in Dentistry (MSD)
- Master of Dental Surgery (MDS)
- Master of Dental Science (MDentSci)
- Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (DClinDent)
There are also several other courses that your dentist has likely completed.
Make sure you always double-check or ask a practitioner for the credentials they possess before the start of your treatment.
More often than not, after a dentist has completed their post-graduate degree, they will choose to specialise in the area of dentistry they feel most passionate about.
This means they would have completed another two or three years of education to further their knowledge and skills in this field.
Endodontist
While all endodontists are dentists, only less than 3% of dentists are endodontists! An endodontist is a specialist with two or more years of further education which focuses on diagnosing toothache and performing root canal treatments, as well as any other issue concerning the dental pulp (the inside of your tooth).
They are also trained in using specialised techniques whilst administering numbing medications and making patients feel as safe as possible during surgery.
Periodontist
A periodontist is a dentist specialising in preventing, diagnosing and treating periodontal disease.
A periodontist has been trained to use the latest technology and equipment to spot the earliest signs of gum disease in your mouth and treat it with care.
- We will review your medical and dental history during an initial visit with our periodontist.
- We will then examine your gums, check for gumline recession, and look at your bite.
- Our newest X-ray machine will allow us to observe the bone below the gum line and look for any signs of damage.
Prosthodontist
The term “prostho” means a replacement, and “dontist” means dealing with teeth.
Although a general dentist is trained to perform fillings and replace crowns, a prosthodontist deals with replacing teeth and restoring functionality throughout your mouth.
Prosthodontists carry out a range of complex treatments, including jaw surgery, implants and dentures.
They are also concerned with the overall aesthetics of the smile and are trained to carry out comprehensive analyses of our facial features.
Later on, they use that information to ensure a person has the shape, size and look that suits them best.
Our team at Maida Smiles Dental Clinic prides itself on our professional credentials and high standard of patient care, and we go to great lengths to ensure each patient is treated safely, with care and consideration, by a fully qualified and registered clinician. Contact us now.
