When most people think of dentistry, they often think of the types of procedures carried out by their primary dental care provider - usually a General Dentist. There are in fact several different branches of dentistry. Some are specializations which usually require a minimum of 2 years postdoctoral education in their specific area, while others are areas that a dentist has chosen to focus on.
There are currently 9 legally recognized specializations in dentistry that a dentist may choose to specialize in. Whether continuing their training and education right after graduating from dental school, or developing an interest in a certain area after practicing for some time and enhancing their education through a post doctoral program, the 9 areas a dentist can choose to specialize in are:
- Endodontics - the treatment of teeth with diseased dental pulp
- Oral & Maxillofacial Dentistry - this area of dentistry focuses on complex oral surgeries
- Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology - focusing on sophisticated oral and facial X-rays
- Oral Pathology - the examination of tissue samples for microscopic identification of various dental diseases
- Orthodontics - preventing and treating poor dental bite and misaligned teeth (malocclusion)
- Pediatric Dentistry - treating the unique dental issues of children
- Periodontics - the treatment of gum and oral bone disease
- Prosthodontics - replacing missing teeth, gums, bone and other facial structures
- Public Health Dentistry - focusing on providing dental information to a whole geographic area
In addition to the 9 specialities of dentistry, there are 8 non-specialist areas that a dentist may choose to focus on. These subcategories do not yet have specialist status, but many dentists believe certain areas should be recognised as such. These 8 areas are:
- Esthetic or Cosmetic Dentistry - focusing on making teeth visually pleasing
- Family Practice - providing dental services to entire families
- Implantology - replacing missing teeth with dental implants
- Occlusion - treating poor dental bite and temporomandibular joint disorders
- Restorative/Operative Dentistry - restoring damaged teeth
- Preventive Dentistry - emphasizing the importance of preventing dental diseases
- Holistic Dentistry - providing alternative treatments for dental issues
- Oral Medicine & Oral Diagnosis - an area of dentistry that branches into medicine, focusing on treating and diagnosing unusual oral diseases
The non-specialist areas that are strongly believed to deserve specialist status are Implantology, Restorative/Operational Dentistry, and Oral Medicine & Oral Diagnosis. This is because of the high level of training, skill and expertise required to complete their respective procedures.