Most family dentists serve adults and children, but a pediatric dentist focuses on the unique dental needs of infants, children, and adolescents.
A pediatric dentistry Turlock is a dentist who specializes in preventing and solving oral problems for children from birth through adolescence, including children with special needs. The first contact a child should have with the dentist is at the age of one year, not three years as previously recommended.
This early visit is justified to prevent possible alterations in the primary dentition, such as missing teeth, supernumerary teeth, maxillofacial problems, etc. Dental hygiene should begin before the eruption of teeth; when they are still babies, there are brushes to massage the gums and acquire the routine. Becoming a pediatric dentist requires at least ten years of education after high school.
An aspiring dentist must first obtain a bachelor of science degree, which is usually a 4-year program. The following path to take maybe the predental or premedical option while majoring in chemistry or biology. These majors are not required for admission to dental school, but the applicant must complete a certain amount of chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, and physics.
The student then acquires a Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from an accredited dental school. Both are 4-year programs, and the degrees are the same except for the degree. The first two years of dental school focus on the fundamental sciences in dentistry, including biomaterials, oral anatomy, oral biochemistry, and histology. Students also take dental technical courses and learn about the nine specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, including pediatric dentistry Turlock. During the next two years, the student participates in intensive clinical dental study and practice.
After graduation, new dentists are eligible for licensure, which allows them to practice in their specific state. A graduate interested in becoming a pediatric dentist may decide on general practice for several years before returning to school or continue to a residency immediately after dental school. Pediatric residency programs typically last two years.
During the pediatric residency, the student learns advanced diagnostic and surgical procedures related explicitly to young patients. The coursework includes biostatistics, epidemiology, oral pathology, pharmaceutical study, and radiology. Students also learn about child psychology, the relief of anxiety in children, and the care of children with special physical, mental, or emotional needs. In addition, residents’ study clinical management, diagnosis of growth problems, emergency dentistry, management of oral trauma, oral diseases in children, tooth replacement, conscious sedation, and general anesthesia. Finally, they learn to use equipment designed for the small mouths of pediatric patients.
After graduating from the residency program, the new pediatric dentist can find a position in a pediatric dental practice or start their own business. A residency graduate may decide at any time to obtain certification by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD) for additional credentials. This requires a rigorous examination process. Pediatric dentists must also provide continuing education, either formally or individually, to keep up with advances in the field. The ABPD conducts continuing education sessions each spring, changing cities each time.
