Dental Specialists
A dental specialist is a registered healthcare practitioner who has completed a minimum two years of general dental practice and is fully compliant with the requirements for general registration as a dentist.
In addition, you must have completed the required amount of postgraduate study for their speciality which can range from 3-4 years through to 10 years for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
Where there is no approved course of study for your specialty in Australia such as Public Health Dentistry and Forensic Odontology, you must have your qualification approved by the Dental Board of Australia (DBA) and be registered with them as a specialist in accordance with the relevant standards.
Your patients won’t require a referral to book an appointment with you although a general dentist will usually provide one so you are fully briefed about the condition and the treatment provided to the patient to date.
Dental specialists can work in one of 13 areas of specialisation;
Dental-maxillofacial Radiologist - Uses diagnostic imaging procedures to identify conditions of the head and neck, with a particular focus on the jaws and teeth.
Endodontist - Deals with the structure, function, and diseases of the human tooth and, in particular, the dental pulp, root and root tissues.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon - Deals with conditions affecting the mouth, teeth, jaws, and face, providing a range of procedures for their patients including removal of problematic wisdom teeth, jaw realignment, and reconstructive surgery following facial trauma.
Forensic Odontologist - Work to identify human remains via dental records, analyse the source of bite marks and determine the cause of trauma to the face and mouth.
Oral Surgeon - Deals with the diagnosis and surgical management of diseases and injuries affecting mouth, teeth and jaw sockets.
Oral Medicine Specialist - Deals with the diagnosis, and non-surgical treatment of disease and pain in patients with chronic and medically-related disorders of the mouth, teeth, jaws and face.
Oral Pathologist - Forensically evaluates whether diseases of the teeth, jaws, gum and facial cavity are cancerous or infectious, and may advise on advanced procedures to treat them.
Orthodontist - Specialises in diagnosing and correcting alignment problems in growing and mature teeth and jaws, including treatment of crooked, overlapping and overcrowded teeth.
Paediatric Dentist - Focus on preventive and corrective dental care for children and adolescents as well providing oral hygiene education for parents.
Periodontist - Deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the diseases and disorders affecting the soft tissue and bone supporting the teeth.
Prosthodontist - Specialises in the restoration and replacement of teeth through procedures such as crowns, bridges, dentures and the use of dental implants.
Public Health Dentist - Work with communities in a non-clinical capacity to improve their overall dental health through education and ongoing programs.
Specialist in Special Needs Dentistry - Focusing on the oral health care of patients with an intellectual disability, or those with medical, physical or psychiatric conditions, this specialty provides specially-tailored preventive and corrective dental treatment.
For more information visit the Dental Board of Australia (DBA).