Dentistry is a multifaceted field where different passions can be explored through the various dental specialties we see in practice today. At the root of every dental specialty is an educational foundation in general dentistry. Through an exploration of the twelve different dental specialties, this article aims to describe the various specialties themselves, the benefits of having multiple specialties within the field, and how specialists work with each other to provide the best care for patients.
1: The History And Rise Of Dental Specialties
As one of the oldest medical professions in the world, dentistry has a long history of development, dating back to 7000 B.C. Though the field of dentistry became much more defined over centuries, it wasn’t until the French surgeon Pierre Fauchard published his influential book, ‘The Surgeon Dentist: a Treatise on Teeth’ in 1723 when dentistry truly emerged as a field of medicine. This text opened the world of dentistry to being seen and recognized as a system for treatment of the whole oral cavity.
Later, the rise of dental specialties specifically was seen in the 1900s after World War II called attention to the necessity of maintaining good oral health for overall health. This new focus served as a catalyst for the American Dental Association (ADA) to define set criterias for specialties to be established in an effort to more-aptly reflect the impact of dentistry on overall oral health.
In modern day dentistry, there exists a total of 12 specialties including Orthodontics, Periodontics, Pediatrics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Prosthodontics, and Dental Public Health, to name a few.
However, as specialties develop and evolve over time, it’s a safe bet that even more dental specialties could be recognized by the ADA in the future to provide dentists and patients with new opportunities for care.
2: The Differences Between Dental Specialties
As of 2024, there are currently 12 recognized dental specialties. In the United States, the most common dental specialties include Orthodontics, Endodontics, Periodontics, Pediatrics, and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Over the past decade, the rise of new specialties including Dental Public Health, Oral Facial Pain, and Oral Medicine have offered the field new perspectives and methods for providing more focused care.
Orthodontics: Orthodontics is a field of dentistry primarily concerned with protecting the mouth, teeth, and jaw through the use of corrective malocclusion (otherwise known as bad biting of the teeth). Orthodontists have extensive training from orthodontic residency programs which range from 2-3 years and take place after traditional dental school graduation. Orthodontists also treat neuromuscular and skeletal abnormalities through corrective procedures including moving teeth through the bone with braces and other corrective appliances like Invisalign retainers. The field of orthodontics generally tends to deal with adolescents and children, as this age is best for moving bone and jaw structures because the mouth is more malleable. Some of the most common reasons a patient may need to see an orthodontist are when their teeth aren’t in alignment or if they have an under or overbite. Generally, orthodontics is an aesthetic form of dentistry
Endodontics: The main purpose of an endodontist is to prevent disease and infection in the mouth and typically, endodontists receive around 2 years of residency training to become clinically certified within the field. A patient may receive endodontic care when bacteria causes an infection below the gum line, which can arise from either a cavity, damaged or cracked tooth, or improper dental care. In order to treat the inflammation, endodontists are specially trained to remove the bacteria or pulp from the root, cleaning and disinfecting the root, and sealing it. You might be referred to an endodontist when experiencing tooth pain, discoloration, or even a fever due to oral issues. In the field of endodontics, root canals are the most common procedure conducted.
Periodontics: Periodontics is the field of dental care which deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the gums to support our overall tooth structures. Endodontics and Periodontics are often intertwined in their treatment due to dealing with gum disease. Periodontists receive approximately three years of post-secondary education after graduating from dental school. Your general dentist might refer you to a periodontist when there is extensive inflammation of the gums. Some of the common procedures periodontists perform include gum grafts, bone grafts, laser surgery, and crown lengthening– all of which work to replace damaged bone, clean gums of plaque, and smoothen roots.
Prosthodontics: Prosthodontics is a field focused on repairing oral function and restoring overall oral health through the reconstruction of new teeth, repairing natural teeth, and working with common dental fixtures like dentures and crowns. Prosthodontics is highly specialized and prosthodontists typically deal with unique dental cases. In some instances, prosthodontists can reconstruct an entirely new set of teeth for a patient to restore their overall health, function, and aesthetics. Prosthodontists receive around three years of residency training which allows them the extensive knowledge and practice needed to restore teeth through procedures like dental implants, crowns, and bridges.
Pediatrics: Pediatric dentists work with both adolescents and children and provide general dental care on a different scale as they’re specifically trained to work with children’s developing mouth and jaws. Pediatric dentists receive around 2 to 3 years of additional schooling that allows them to focus not only on a child’s developing teeth, but on managing different behaviors, physical growth and development, and the special needs of children’s dentistry. Pediatric dentists are also typically trained to provide oral surgical procedures when necessary under general anesthesia and sometimes work along pediatric dental anesthesiologists as well.
Dental Anesthesiology: Dental anesthesiology is a field of dentistry which allows dentists to become highly trained in administering anesthesia to patients for certain dental procedures which may require it. Dental anesthesiologists receive three years of residency training before becoming certified. Dental anesthesiologists also have the ability to work within specific specialties as well, like pediatrics or alongside oral and maxillofacial surgeons.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is the field of dentistry most intertwined with medicine and provides the surgical treatment of diseases, injuries, and defects. Oral Surgeons receive up to 6 years of residency and training prior to certification and some oral surgeons receive medical training as well, carrying both a Dental and Medical degree as part of their education. Oral and Maxillofacial surgery covers a wide range of procedures with some of the most popular including extractions, wisdom teeth removal, dental implants, and work with treating cleft lips and palates. Dentists within this field also treat facial pain and facial injuries. In some cases, oral surgeons are also able to diagnose disease through biopsies for removal of oral, head, neck, and throat cancers as well.
Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology: Similarly to oral and maxillofacial surgery, oral and maxillofacial radiology deals with the same regions of the face, mouth, and jaw. Oral and maxillofacial radiologists receive 2-5 years of residency training to interpret images and data produced by radiographic (x-ray) images. Specialists in this field are able to understand how to diagnose disease and the spread of disease by interpreting medical imaging. Oral and maxillofacial radiologists commonly work alongside oral and maxillofacial surgeons to manage disease.
Oral and Maxillofacial Pathologist: Oral and maxillofacial pathologists work to diagnose and manage disease. As pathology is the study of disease, dentists within the field are trained for three years in residency to become certified to diagnose diseases within the oral cavity. Diseases can range from periodontal disease to more complex diseases that require extraction and restorative procedures.
Orofacial Pain: Orofacial pain specialists focus on diagnosing, managing, and treating pain and dysfunction in the head and neck as well as the oral cavity. This includes the patient’s jaw, mouth, face, and neck. Orofacial pain specialists typically receive two years of additional training in residency after dental school. As Orofacial pain is one of the newest dental specialties, being recognized by the ADA in 2020, there are only 12 known dental schools that offer a residency in Orofacial pain. This highly specialized field generally deals with temporomandibular muscle and joint disorders (TMJ). Specialists are also trained to treat and diagnose conditions related to jaw movement, neuropathic and neurovascular pain disorders, as well as headache and sleep disorders.
Orofacial Medicine: Orofacial medicine deals with diagnosing and managing conditions affecting the oral and facial regions. Orofacial medicine specialists typically are trained in residency for a minimum of four years after dental school. Specialists are trained to be able to diagnose and treat diseases including oral mucosal diseases and salivary gland disorders. Orofacial medicine specialists are some of the most collaborative specialists and work closely with other medical and dental specialists to provide comprehensive care for patients with complex oral and facial health issues.
Dental Public Health: Through extensive research, dental public health has risen as a new specialty to allow the field to become more inclusive and increase advocacy. Dental public health specialists help to prevent disease through an understanding of how disease spreads and what types of health practices lead to improper oral care. This field of dentistry is important because it allows for greater educational access to disease prevention. The overall speciality involves the assessment of oral health needs at a community or population level, as well as planning and implementing strategies to address these needs while evaluating the effectiveness of various oral health programs and policies. Dentists in this field typically receive an additional 2-3 years of training in residency and gain extensive knowledge in health policy, biostatistics, and epidemiology.
3: Why It’s Important To Have Different Specialties
In the field of dentistry, where art and science intertwine, having many different specialties allows dentists to focus their passion. As different dentists are equipped with different levels of expertise and skill sets, having different specialties allows dentists to best accommodate their patients.
Ultimately, more specialties increases patient autonomy as well, by giving them more options to seek high-quality individualized care and treatment.
4: The Multidimensionality of Dental Specialties
One of the best aspects of dentistry is the collaborative nature of students, dentists, and professionals alike. Dentists around the world work and come together through various organizations that, within them, exist sub-organizations for specific dental specialties. These organizations provide opportunity for professionals to learn from one another, hear about each others’ experiences, and work together to advocate for their communities.
The crossing-over of dental specialties allows for dental care to be more individualized, fine-tuned, and patient-centered. At the core of dentistry, a patient’s overall oral health is always the priority– and through the collaboration of multiple specialties this focus can be better upheld and maintained.
5: Conclusion
Dental specialties have existed for nearly a century and have given rise to new scientific discoveries and advancements. With more extensive training, specialists can help the field of dentistry be more expansive and inclusive. With new technologies providing greater opportunities for better care, the creation of new fields of dental focus are important for making the field more efficient in diagnosis and treatment, and more dynamic for fitting patient needs on an individual level.
