What Are the Different Types of Dentists & Dental Specialties?
Posted on 14 Oct 2019
What is a Dental Specialty?
General practitioner dentists (or GDPs for short) provide primary care for the majority of basic dental needs. However, they sometimes need to refer patients to highly-trained specialists in cases where advanced treatment is required. There are many different types of dentists in the UK and the General Dental Council (GDC) has recognised thirteen dental specialties.Do You Have to Study A Specialty?
The short answer – no. In the UK, dentists can practice professionally upon completion of their Foundation Training. Dentists are not required to study a specialty and most graduates choose to remain as general practitioners. Should a qualified dentist wish to pursue postgraduate education, specialty training is the next step.What Are the Advantages of Pursuing a Dental Specialty?
Studying a specialty is a great opportunity to focus in on the most aspects of dentistry that appeal to you. You may also find that you have unique talents or qualities that would be useful within certain fields. By developing these specialist skills and knowledge, you will be in a unique position to help people who have advanced dental problems. Dental specialists’ high level of training and specialist knowledge means that they will always be in demand and will enjoy excellent job prospects throughout their career. Specialist dentists enjoy a wide range of career options including working as a specialist in a general practice, in private care, or in a hospital. Alternatively, they can choose to continue their training. While general dental practitioners do earn a great salary, experienced specialist consultants have even better prospects with average salaries in the UK ranging from £76,761 to £103,490.What is The Process for Specialty Training in the UK?
In order to be eligible for a specialist training programme in the UK, you will need to have a minimum of two years’ postgraduate experience. This includes 12 months of foundation training in general practice in addition to at least 12 months experience of hospital dentistry. Specialist training programmes in the UK have competitive entry, so applicants will face a rigorous assessment process which will vary from programme to programme. During the training period, the student will be assigned a clinical supervisor who will oversee their work and provide constructive feedback. Upon completion of the training programme, the trainee may sit the specialist examinations. On passing these exams, the successful candidate can then apply to be included on the GDC’s specialist list. While you do not have to join a specialist list to practice a specialty, you do have to join the list in order to use the ‘specialist’ title.How Long Does It Take to Complete A Dental Specialty?
The length of your specialty training programme will depend on the type of dentist you want to be and the complexity of your chosen field. In the UK, specialist training lasts for a minimum of two to three years.A List of The Different Types of Dentists & Dental Specialties
- Maxillofacial Radiology
Average Training Duration: 4 years
- Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology
Average Training Duration: 5 years
- Dental Public Health
Average Training Duration: 4 years
- Endodontics
This specialist field involves the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries relating to the dental pulp. Endodontists are mainly known for providing root canals. To qualify for endodontics training, you will need to have at least two years’ professional experience.
Average Training Duration: 3 – 4 years
- Oral Medicine
Average Training Duration: 5 years
- Oral Microbiology
Average Training Duration: 5+ years
- Oral Surgery
Average Training Duration: 3 – 4 years
- Orthodontics
Orthodontists work to prevent and correct irregularities of the teeth, face and jaws such as overbite. They are experts at fitting braces and retainers. If you are business-minded, this could be a good fit as many orthodontists run their own practices.
Average Training Duration: 3 years
- Paediatric Dentistry
Average Training Duration: 3 years
- Restorative Dentistry
Average Training Duration: 2 years
- Periodontics
Average Training Duration: 3 years
- Prosthodontics
Average Training Duration: 3 years
- Special Care Dentistry
Average Training Duration: 3 years
via GIPHY
Can You Study A Specialty Abroad?
There are plenty of universities across the world that offer specialist training programmes to international graduates from accredited dental schools. Study Medicine Europe has partnered with New Vision University in Georgia to offer the following dental specialist training programmes:- Therapeutic dentistry
- Prosthetic dentistry
- Orthodontics
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery