| Page
Sections:
Definition
of Dentistry
Click
here to go to
Types of Dental
Degrees Section
Click
here to go to
Definitions
of Dental Specialties Section
Click
here to go to Dental Schools Section
.............................................................................................
Definition
of Dentistry
Dentistry is defined as the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention and/or
treatment (nonsurgical, surgical or related procedures) of diseases,
disorders and/or conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area
and/or the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on
the human body; provided by a dentist, within the scope of his/her
education, training and experience, in accordance with the ethics
of the profession and applicable law.
Types
of Dental Degrees
DDS—Doctor
of Dental Surgery
DMD—Doctor of Dental Medicine
Indicates the degree awarded upon graduation from dental school
to become a general dentist. There is no difference between the
two degrees; dentists who have a DMD or DDS have the same education.
Universities have the prerogative to determine what degree is awarded.
Both degrees use the same curriculum requirements. Generally, three
or more years of undergraduate education plus four years of dental
school is required to graduate and become a general dentist. State
licensing boards accept either degree as equivalent, and both degrees
allow licensed individuals to practice the same scope of general
dentistry. Additional post-graduate training is required to become
a dental specialist, such as an orthodontist, periodontist or oral
and maxillofacial surgeon.
Definitions
of Recognized Dental Specialties
Dental
Public Health: Dental public health is the science and
art of preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting
dental health through organized community efforts. It is that form
of dental practice which serves the community as a patient rather
than the individual. It is concerned with the dental health education
of the public, with applied dental research, and with the administration
of group dental care programs as well as the prevention and control
of dental diseases on a community basis.
Endodontics:
Endodontics is the branch of dentistry which is concerned with the
morphology, physiology and pathology of the human dental pulp and
periradicular tissues. Its study and practice encompass the basic
and clinical sciences including biology of the normal pulp, the
etiology, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries
of the pulp and associated periradicular conditions.
Oral
and Maxillofacial Pathology: Oral pathology is the specialty
of dentistry and discipline of pathology that deals with the nature,
identification, and management of diseases affecting the oral and
maxillofacial regions. It is a science that investigates the causes,
processes, and effects of these diseases. The practice of oral pathology
includes research and diagnosis of diseases using clinical, radiographic,
microscopic, biochemical, or other examinations.
Oral
and Maxillofacial Radiology: Oral and maxillofacial radiology
is the specialty of dentistry and discipline of radiology concerned
with the production and interpretation of images and data produced
by all modalities of radiant energy that are used for the diagnosis
and management of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral
and maxillofacial region.
<back to top
Oral
and Maxillofacial Surgery: Oral and maxillofacial surgery
is the specialty of dentistry which includes the diagnosis, surgical
and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving
both the functional and esthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues
of the oral and maxillofacial region.
Orthodontics
and Dentofacial Orthopedics: Orthodontics and dentofacial
orthopedics is the dental specialty that includes the diagnosis,
prevention, interception, and correction of malocclusion, as well
as neuromuscular and skeletal abnormalities of the developing or
mature orofacial structures.
Pediatric
Dentistry: Pediatric Dentistry is an age-defined specialty
that provides both primary and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic
oral health care for infants and children through adolescence, including
those with special health care needs.
Periodontics:
Periodontics is that specialty of dentistry which encompasses
the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the supporting
and surrounding tissues of the teeth or their substitutes and the
maintenance of the health, function and esthetics of these structures
and tissues.
<back to top
Prosthodontics:
Prosthodontics is the dental specialty pertaining to the
diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of
the oral function, comfort, appearance and health of patients with
clinical conditions associated with missing or deficient teeth and/or
oral and maxillofacial tissues using biocompatible substitutes.
Dental
Schools
This section contains a listing
of all the major dental schools in the continental USA. For more
information on any of the schools please click on a colored link
to be taken to that school's official website.
Further
information regarding dental schools and other dental education
issues may be obtained by visiting the American Dental Education
Association (ADEA) website at www.adea.org
United
States
Baylor College of Dentistry, A Member of The Texas A&M University
System
Boston University,
Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Case Western Reserve University School of Dentistry
Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery
Creighton
University School of Dentistry
Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Howard
University College of Dentistry
Indiana University
School of Dentistry
Loma
Linda University School of Dentistry
Louisiana
State University School of Dentistry
Marquette
University School of Dentistry
Medical College
of Georgia School of Dentistry
Medical
University of South Carolina College of Dental Medicine
Meharry
Medical College School of Dentistry
New
York University Kriser Dental Center
Northwestern
University Dental School
Nova
Southeastern University College of Dentistry
Ohio
State University College of Dentistry
Oregon Health
Sciences University School of Dentistry
Southern
Illinois University School of Dental Medicine
State University
of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine
State
University of New York at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine
Temple
University School of Dentistry
Tufts University
School of Dental Medicine
University
of Alabama School of Dentistry
University
of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry
University
of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry
University
of Colorado School of Dentistry
University of Connecticut
School of Dental Medicine
University
of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry
University
of Florida College of Dentistry
University
of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry
University of Iowa College of Dentistry
University
of Kentucky College of Dentistry
University
of Louisville School of Dentistry
University
of Maryland, Baltimore, College of Dental Surgery
University
of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Dental School
University
of Michigan School of Dentistry
University
of Minnesota School of Dentistry
University
of Mississippi School of Dentistry
University
of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry
University
of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Dentistry
University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry
University
of Oklahoma College of Dentistry
University
of the Pacific School of Dentistry
University
of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
University
of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine
University
of Puerto Rico, School of Dentistry
University
of Southern California School of Dentistry
University of Tennessee College of Dentistry
University
of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Dental School
University
of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Dental School
University
of Washington School of Dentistry
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry
West
Virginia University School of Dentistry
<back
to top
Clinical training programs
NIH - Clinical Research Training Programs
|
