How to choose a general dentist – what to look for and more, part 2

This post is the second in a four part series on choosing a general dentist. If you haven’t already read part 1, I recommend you do before continuing.

What is a general dentist? (continued)

The second part of the definition is pretty basic, with one important caveat:

“…provided by a dentist, within the scope of [their] education, training and experience, in accordance with the ethics of the profession and applicable law.” (1)

I’ve added the emphasis to training and experience, because all dentists start with more or less similar education, and it’s obvious that they’re bound by laws and ethics like any medical professional. What sets some dentists apart is the training and experience they gain through their practice and through continuing education and training.

Dr. Abeyta is committed to constantly expanding her own dental expertise as well as pioneering new therapies and treatments. That’s why she spends about 100 hours a year in advanced dental training, in areas including the impact of tethered-oral tissues (such as tongue-tie), TMJ dysfunction, and oral myofascial dysfunction on maxillofacial development, upper airway resistance syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea. She also recently completed a mini-residency program in orthotropics – the study and treatment of facial growth guidance in children.

Choosing a general dentist

There are around 115,000 general dentists licensed in the United States. About 80% of dentists are general dentists, while the other 20% are specialists in one of nine official areas of interest like orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, and prosthodontics (oral prosthetics). With so many to choose from, how do you know you’re picking the right general dentist? Let’s take a look at some tips:

• Get a referral – do you know someone who has a great smile? Ask them who their dentist is!
• Evaluate their reputation – check out the dentist’s reviews on Google, Yelp, or wherever else you can find them.

Check back soon for How to choose a general dentist – what to look for and more, part 3. In the meantime, check out our page to learn more about Dr. Abeyta’s qualifications and approach to general dentistry.

Source cited:

https://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/careers-in-dentistry/general-dentistry