Who is a dentist?
A dentist is a certified doctor who helps prevent, diagnose, and treat tooth decay, cavities, and other oral conditions and diseases. Dentists treat teeth and gums and the muscles of the head, neck, jaws, salivary glands, tongue, and upper nervous system (of the head and neck). They also closely monitor the growth and development of the jaws and teeth.
Dentists help detect diseases like oral cancer early, as many health problems appear in the oral cavity before one can observe them in other body parts. Dentists perform clinical procedures such as corrective surgeries, oral examinations, teeth fillings, implants, crowns, and extractions. They can interpret X-rays, manage oral trauma, conduct diagnostic tests, and ensure the safe application of anesthetics. Dentists generally work in a team and are assisted by dental hygienists, lab technicians, and dental assistants.
What kind of education and training do dentists receive?
To become a dentist, one must join a dental school after graduation. Most dental schools are at par with medical schools and need aspiring students to clear a stringent examination to gain admission. During the first two years in dental school, students are taught subjects such as pathology, physiology, microbiology, biochemistry, immunology, and anatomy. The following two years involve clinical practice, where students learn to diagnose and treat oral diseases.
On completing dental school, students receive their dental degrees. Most dentists then prefer to specialize further in one of nine dental specialties. Dentists also need to clear a state or regional licensing examination to begin practice. They must keep upgrading their knowledge through continuing education.
Dental subspecialties
After completing dental school, a dentist may undergo additional training of two to three years to specialize in one or more areas of dentistry that focus on treating specific issues. These dentists may also be called subspecialists. Some common dental subspecialties include:
- Orthodontics: This branch of dentistry involves straightening teeth and realigning your bite for optimal health and function. Orthodontists understand how teeth fit together and impact oral health. In addition to treating crooked, overlapping, and crowded teeth, they also help to ease pain in patients with temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD). Orthodontists offer treatment like retainers, braces, and clear aligners.
- Periodontics: Periodontists primarily treat conditions affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth, including gums, tissues that attach the teeth to the jawbone, and alveolar bone (a part of the jawbone containing the tooth sockets). People who have gum disease or are genetically predisposed to it may require more frequent visits to a periodontist.
- Endodontics: Endodontists focus on treating complex teeth problems that affect the pulp of the tooth, which includes blood vessels, nerves, and tissues that reach deep into the tooth. They may sometimes be called root canal dentists, who perform root canal therapy or RCT to restore or save the natural teeth of individuals who have infections due to deep cavities or tooth decay. While a general dentist may also do this procedure, endodontists are highly trained in root canals and perform the procedure more often than a general dentist.
- Prosthodontics: This branch of dentistry involves creating replacements that look similar to natural teeth for individuals who have missing or damaged teeth. Such prosthodontic appliances include full and partial dentures, implants, bridges, and crowns. These can be custom-made to be permanent or removable.
- Pedodontics: Also known as pediatric dentistry, pedodontics involves treating teeth and gum diseases in infants, adolescents, children, and teenagers.
- Oral surgery: Oral surgeons specialize in treating injuries, diseases, and abnormalities in the teeth, jawbones, gums, tongue, and other structures that are present in the oral cavity. They perform wisdom teeth removals, gum grafting, tooth extractions, and dental implants.
- Cosmetic dentistry: This branch of dentistry mainly focuses on improving the appearance of teeth. It may be a treatment option for those with crooked, chipped, or misaligned teeth or have discoloration and staining on their teeth. Cosmetic dentists provide treatments like teeth whitening, dental bonding, tooth contouring, gum contouring, and veneers.
When should one visit a dentist?
People often think that they need to visit a dentist only when they have a cavity or have an issue with their teeth. Contrary to this belief, the American Dental Association advises visiting a dentist every six months. Dentists help prevent oral and other diseases if you see them regularly. Due to the widespread and high incidence of oral diseases worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) has thus included oral health as a major public health factor in its chronic disease prevention efforts.
You can visit a dentist near you to clean your teeth, treat cavities, or check any other oral symptoms you may have. You must consult a dental specialist if you have any abnormalities in the mouth, such as ulcerations, swellings, discolorations, bleeding gums, or lumps in the mouth. Dentists can deal with complications that can be potentially life-threatening.
What is a dental emergency, and how do you identify one?
A dental emergency (as defined by the American Dental Association) is a group of potentially life-threatening situations that need immediate attention to stop an infection from spreading, stop ongoing tissue bleeding, and relieve a patient from severe pain. A dental emergency impacts the teeth and surrounding supporting structures and can lead to biological, aesthetic, or functional complications if left untreated.
The following are some common dental emergencies people experience-
- Traumatic dental emergencies: Traumatic injuries such as tooth fractures, avulsions, and luxations may be sustained by the direct or indirect impact on the teeth or surrounding tissues. Falls, sports injuries, physical violence, and traffic accidents can cause traumatic dental emergencies. If not managed correctly and promptly, the injury site can invite bacteria and cause an infectious dental emergency.
- Infectious dental emergencies: Most dental infections can be localized and easily treated if detected in their early stages. Almost all Infectious dental emergencies begin with cavities and are highly preventable. Dental conditions like periodontitis, tooth abscesses, and pericoronitis can cause bacterial spread into the neck, facial sinuses, and brain, resulting in life-threatening infections and airway compromise. Complications like Ludwig's angina and sepsis have been linked to untreated tooth infections.
- Post-operation dental emergencies: Bleeding for eight to twelve hours after a dental extraction procedure is typically seen in patients with congenital bleeding diseases, systemic disorders affecting hemostasis, or those on anticoagulation medications.
For symptoms like severe toothache or broken teeth, contact an emergency dentist or a dental office that offers emergency services during non-business hours. If you cannot locate a dentist, visit the nearest urgent care center or emergency room.
Hospital or dentist's office: Where should one go for a dental emergency?
Whether you need to go to a hospital or a dentist's clinic depends on the type of injury you have sustained and its severity. Specific dental emergencies affecting the jaw, mouth, or face may warrant a visit to the hospital, as general dentists cannot adequately treat them. These emergencies will require the care of a surgical specialist, such as an oral maxillofacial surgeon. Some of these include- jaw fractures, jaw dislocation, severe cuts or lacerations on the face and mouth, and an abscess or infection that is very swollen or hinders normal breathing or swallowing functions. In such cases, you must call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
For emergencies like chipped or knocked-out teeth that cause heavy bleeding, you may visit an emergency dentist near you or the ER. No matter what type of dental emergency you have, it is advised that you consult a medical professional immediately to prevent any further damage to your dental structures.
How does a dentist clean teeth, and what is a fluoride treatment?
A dentist can floss the teeth and polish them to get them clean. Flossing involves using a waxy string to remove tiny food particles stuck between the teeth. Instruments such as a scraper and a little mirror to look at areas in the mouth that one cannot see directly can also be used by a dentist during teeth cleaning. The scraper helps remove plaque that grows on the teeth over some time. Plaque is a thin, sticky layer (containing bacteria) that coats the teeth and can result in cavities if not treated in time.
Dentists may give your teeth a fluoride treatment, in which a fluoride foam or gel is applied. It helps prevent cavities and makes the teeth stronger. A fluoride treatment takes only a few minutes, and you may have to avoid eating or drinking anything for the next 30 minutes. The dentist may also prescribe fluoride tablets or drops if needed.
What are cavities, and how do doctors check your bite?
Cavities are rotten portions of the teeth and require immediate treatment. They generally result in toothache and discomfort, especially when eating. If left untreated, they can be quite painful and cause further complications. Dentists commonly use X-rays to check for cavities between the teeth. An anesthetic that numbs the area around the cavity is given, and the affected area is cleaned. After cleaning, the dentist fills the space with material and covers it with a tooth cap.
Checking the bite means checking how the upper and lower teeth or the 'bite' meet together. If they are not in sync, this may cause problems in chewing and digesting food. If needed, the dentist may refer patients to an orthodontist, who is a specialist in correcting teeth positions with the help of braces or other treatments.
Why is oral health care necessary for children?
Dental cavities, or tooth decay, are children's most common dental ailments. If ignored, cavities can lead to severe complications such as infection and toothache, resulting in eating, speaking, and learning problems. Children with poor oral health miss school more often and get lower grades in exams than students with no dental issues.
According to the data published on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, about 50% of adolescents in the 12-19 age group have cavities in at least one of the permanent teeth. More than 50% of children in the 6-8 age group have cavities in at least one of the primary or baby teeth. However, fluoride varnish or treatment reduces the risk of cavities in baby teeth by almost 33%.
Establishing healthy oral practices in young children can easily prevent dental cavities before their first tooth appears. If children are made aware at an early age of the causes of holes in teeth, their harmful effects, and how to avoid them, it can help them avoid cavities from developing in the future. Below are some dental hygiene practices for kids recommended by dental professionals:
For babies
- Wipe their gums twice daily with a clean, soft cloth after the first feeding in the morning and before going to sleep. It helps wipe out the sugars and bacteria that may cause cavities.
- When the teeth come out, brush them twice daily with a soft baby toothbrush and plain water.
- Visit a pediatric dentist when your baby completes one year to check for any signs of cavities.
- When the first set of teeth appears, you should consult a dentist about applying fluoride varnish to your child's teeth. Consult the pediatric dentist on using a fluoride toothpaste for brushing if your child is below two years of age.
For children
- Brush teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste.
- Parents must help their child brush their teeth until they learn proper brushing skills. If your child is six or below, you must watch them brush their teeth and teach them the best brushing practices.
- Please encourage your child to drink tap water, as it contains fluoride.
- Ask the pediatric dentist to apply dental sealants to your child's teeth when required.
Find a top-rated dentist near you in Chandler, Arizona
With Zocdoc, scheduling in-person or video consultations with dentists in your neighborhood from the comfort of your home is simpler. To book an appointment, go to the Zocdoc website and enter your ailment or the symptoms, your location and preferred date, and your insurance plan to access the top-rated dentists in Chandler, Arizona.
You can also filter your search by hospital affiliation, day of the week, gender, location, and languages spoken. If you want oral care for your child, visit the provider profile to check active pediatric dentists in your area. You can look for an emergency dentist if you need immediate care.
Selecting your insurance company and plan from the drop-down option at the top of the page will automatically filter the search results only to show in-network dentists. If you are unable to find your specific healthcare plan, you can upload a photo of your insurance card. Once you upload a photo, Zocdoc will scan the image of your card and show you your likely health plan. Note that you can use this option for medical insurance cards only. Dental and vision are excluded. If you need help uploading your insurance card, contact Zocdoc's service team. You can also visit Zocdoc's patient help center for answers to other insurance-related queries.
Zocdoc provides information on each dentist's background, including their clinical experience, education and training, awards, licensures, certifications, and accreditations on the practitioner's profile to assist you in making an informed choice. Furthermore, you can also browse through verified patient reviews and choose the right dentist.
On Zocdoc, all appointment bookings are simple, secure, and free!
Statistics on dentists and dental visits in Arizona
Recent data on the USA's dental workforce by state shows that Arizona has around 3,995 residents per general dental practice. It is higher than the national average of 3,504. Arizona has about 1,867 general dentist practices and 1,607 specialty dentist practices. Arizona has 4,641 residents per specialty practice (the national average is 4,126).
According to America's Health Rankings, 61.2% of adults visited a dentist or dental clinic in 2020. More women visited a dentist (64.4%) than men (57.9%). Those 65 and older (65.6%) were more likely to visit the dentist. The percentages were slightly lower in those aged 45 to 64 (62.2%) and those aged 18 to 44 (58.2%).
In September 2021, there were 55.3 general dentists and advanced practice dental therapists per 100,000 people in Arizona. According to America's Health Rankings, the national average was 62.3 during the same period.
Sources
American Dental Education Association
KidsHealth
Dentographics
America’s Health Rankings[1]
America’s Health Rankings[2]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
WebMD
American Dental Association
National Center for Biotechnology Information[1]
National Center for Biotechnology Information[2]
Cleveland Clinic[1]
Cleveland Clinic[2]
Cleveland Clinic[3]
Healthline
Cleveland Clinic[4]
Cleveland Clinic[5]
Cleveland Clinic[6]
Cleveland Clinic[7]
Cleveland Clinic[8]
Cleveland Clinic[9]
