Dentistry encompasses the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment (nonsurgical and surgical) of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity and maxillofacial region. It includes public health teeth whitening jeddah dentistry.
Candidates tend to include work experience placements, volunteering activities and extracurricular pursuits in their statements; however, these do not always demonstrate how these have enhanced their suitability for dentistry or why another caring profession would not be suitable.
Definition
Dentists are professionals who assist people in maintaining healthy teeth and gums, diagnosing and treating oral health conditions such as toothaches. Dentists in the US have gone through extensive medical training; earning either their Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD).
Dentistry derives its name from two Greek words for tooth and mouth, with evidence of early dental care found as early as 2900 BCE Egyptian skulls, in which holes were drilled to drain abscesses from jaws to drain them away.
In the 1700s, surgeon Pierre Fauchard distinguished dentistry from other medical fields by establishing it as its own profession. Today’s dentists work as part of a team consisting of dental assistants, hygienists and lab technicians; their duties may include tooth extraction, filling or crowning procedures as well as correcting jaw misalignments or birth defects.
History
Modern dentistry didn’t really start its journey until the 1800s. Pierre Fauchard is considered to be the “Father of Modern Dentistry”, having published an influential book outlining a comprehensive system of dentistry called his book published in 1723 titled, The First Comprehensive System of Dentistry; Fauchard also invented fillings, attributed tooth decay to sugar consumption and designed dental braces – among many other achievements.
Others advances include Giuseppangelo Fonzi’s invention of porcelain teeth in the early 1700s, Charles Stent’s development of impression compounds and John Greenwood’s foot engine for dentists – as well as Charles Goodyear’s invention of vulcanisation – during the 18th and 19th centuries respectively; Semmelweis’s science of hand washing and Pasteur’s postulates for infectious disease investigation led to improvements in infection control measures – although death from dental infections was still common at this time but gradually reduced over time with introduction of antibiotics – even during these early advances!
Specializations
Dentistry encompasses numerous specialization areas. Each must fulfill certain training, education and other criteria in order to be recognized as a dental specialty.
Endodontics specializes in the morphology, physiology, and pathology of human dental pulp and periradicular tissues. Orthodontics/dentofacial orthopedics focuses on diagnosing, preventing and intercepting malocclusions within developing and mature orofacial structures.
Oral and maxillofacial surgery specializes in surgically treating hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity, jaws and facial regions. This may involve extracting teeth, placing implants or providing other procedures requiring deeper levels of sedation than that provided by nitrous oxide or laughing gas sedation. Oral surgeons also treat cysts, tumors and abnormalities. Periodontics is another field within dentistry considered a specialty area; prosthodontics is another aspect that addresses missing teeth while public health dentists focus on providing education on oral diseases that plague these regions through education programs and research studies conducted over time.
Education
Dentists work closely with teams of dental assistants and hygienists to provide quality oral healthcare to their patients. Dentists also collaborate closely with physicians and pharmacists, so patients receive integrated and coordinated care from multiple sources. This interprofessional education ensures quality treatment is provided.
Becoming a dentist typically involves earning an undergraduate degree, passing a dental admissions test and participating in extensive training. Some schools even offer combined BS/DDS programs which allow students to graduate from undergraduate college before entering dental school directly.
After graduating from dental school, dentists must pass both written and clinical exams in order to become licensed. Furthermore, continuing education programs provide updates in their field. Discover more about the skills, credentials, and career outlook of dentists by using resources like O*NET which provide details such as duties performed, education requirements and salaries paid.