Pediatric dentists are specialized oral health care providers who are trained to diagnose and treat dental problems in children from infancy to early adulthood. They offer a wide range of services, including implants, tooth extractions, gum surgery, tissue grafts, and more. If the surgery required is not a common procedure for pediatric dentists, they will refer you to an oral surgeon. Orthodontists specialize in aligning the teeth and jaw, while general dentists are primary care oral health providers.
They may refer you to other types of dentists if you need services they are not qualified for. To become a pediatric dentist, one must complete three or more years of college education and graduate with a doctorate in dental surgery (DDS) or a doctorate in dental medicine (DMD). Pediatric dentists have the skills to interact with infants and children, making consultations comfortable and easy for both parents and the child. It is recommended that you consult a pediatric dentist when your baby has their first tooth or, at the latest, when they are one year old. Family dentists and general dentists offer many of the same services as dental specialists, but they don't focus on just one area of dentistry. If you have an overbite, an underbite, a cross bite, or misaligned teeth, you may be referred to an orthodontist for correction.
Tom represented dentists and dental anesthesiologists in the American Society of Anesthesiologists Working Group on the revision of the Practice Guidelines for Moderate Procedural Sedation and Analgesia.
