Q: WHAT IS A GENERAL DENTIST?
A: A general dentist studies 4 years of undergraduate and 4 years of dental school. The dental school curriculum is identical to medical school plus developing the eye-hand coordination skills necessary to work upside down and backward in a tiny mirror.
A general dentist has a DDS or DMD degree. Both degrees are identical and are obtained through the identical curricula. The difference is a historical homage to the university’s preference.
A general dentist can perform all procedures from A-Z and everything in between. Sometimes a patient is referred out to a specialist if the difficulty warrants the attention of a dentist who has undergone additional post-graduate training.
Q: WHEN SHOULD I SCHEDULE MY CHILD’S FIRST DENTAL APPOINTMENT?
A: As early as possible. Even if they are an infant in a car carrier, they can come in and start to acclimate to dental sights and sounds. Regular “happy visits” makes the transition into an actual patient easier for the baby and the parent.
Q: WHY DO I NEED TO HAVE DIAGNOSTIC DENTAL X-RAYS TAKEN?
A: Many dental problems can only be accurately diagnosed using X-rays. Early accurate detection is the key to simple cost effective solutions.