Dentistry is a critically important aspect of the medical establishment today, focusing on the health and cleanliness of the teeth and mouth. The average American gets a dental check-up and teeth cleaning about twice a year (as is recommended), and they are very important parts of personal health and hygiene. Surgical procedures and regular check-ups are very common dental specialties, and dentistry is an even broader area of medicine than these two activities by themselves would suggest.
As far as education goes, dentists and medical doctors receive roughly the same training up to a certain point, usually the second year or medical schools. Dental medicine does not lead to a medical doctor certification but does prepare the doctor uniquely for dentistry. Dentists are often authorized to perform certain anesthetic procedures and to prescribe a certain number of medicines relating to dental care. In general, though, dentists stick to oral examinations and treatment of oral diseases and conditions.
The average person’s dental hygiene is not perfect. Most people have some minor staining or plaque accumulation in their mouth, though this is easily removed at a dentist’s appointment by a hygienist. Hygienists are the trained medical assistants who clean your mouth. Other diagnostic procedures, including X-rays, tell the dentist whether you require additional treatment or medicine. This ensures that your mouth is kept clean and healthy.
There are a number of specialty fields in dentistry, and one of the most important is the oral surgeon. These doctors extract decaying teeth and perform various types of surgery of the mouth. Surgeons can also improve the appearance of the mouth and deal with denture fittings and installation. Another specialty, cosmetic dentistry, performs elective procedures like stain removal and teeth alignment. Coffee drinkers and smokers often require cosmetic enhancement of their mouth or teeth. Specialty dentist are everywhere. Use a term a bit more specific than dentist when searching for one, something like orthodontist will pull a list of specialists.
By far the most common form of dentistry, family dentistry is probably what you think of when you think of dentists. These doctors usually practice in offices and, often times, with more than one dentists. These offices rarely do extensive surgical procedures, though they are able to give references to oral surgeons. Family dentists also need a fair amount of business sense (as with many doctors): a family practice involves a full staff.
As a profession, dentistry is a team effort of a number of different subspecialties. Many research studies indicate that dental health is largely under-appreciated, arguing oral health has implications for cancer, heart health, and other illnesses. The mouth has a very large degree of functional and medical relevance, making it a particularly important facet of medicine as it is understood today.
Our office is a favorite provider of McKinney pediatric dentistry in North Texas. We treat all ages and have a fantastic facility complete with an enormous movie screen to make your feel right at home.
