YOUR DENTAL TEAM

The team approach to dentistry promotes continuity of care that is comprehensive, convenient, cost effective and efficient. Members of the team include dental assistants, lab technicians and dental hygienists. Leading the team is the dentist, a doctor specializing in oral health who has earned either a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree or a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree, which are essentially the same.
The Dentist’s Role
Dentists are doctors who specialize in oral health. Their responsibilities include:
? Diagnosing oral diseases.
? Promoting oral health and disease prevention.
? Creating treatment plans to maintain or restore the oral health of their patients.
? Interpreting x-rays and diagnostic tests.
? Ensuring the safe administration of anesthetics.
? Monitoring growth and development of the teeth and jaws.
? Performing surgical procedures on the teeth, bone and soft tissues of the oral cavity.
? Managing oral trauma and emergency situations.
Dentists’ oversight of the clinical team is critical to ensuring safe and effective oral care. Even seemingly routine procedures such as tooth extractions, preparing and placing fillings or administering anesthetics carry potential risks of complications such as infection, temporary or even permanent nerve damage, prolonged bleeding, hematomas and pain.