It seems to be prevalent in that most dentists these days are calling themselves ‘cosmetic dentists’, when in reality there is no cosmetic specialty in dentistry. All dentistry is cosmetic. It’s just some dentists are trained to do it better than others. I don’t know anyone who took the ‘ugly’ teeth class in dental school, because obviously, tongue in cheek, it doesn’t exist. Regardless, the fact remains that the majority of dentists are general dentists and call themselves self-ordained ‘cosmetic dentists’. They all have undergraduate degrees with either a BA or BS and at least four years of dental school with either a DDS or a DMD. But not one of them has a ‘cosmetic specialty’ in dentistry. Those dentists who choose to make the claim do so by virtue of deciding to focus on cosmetics in their general practices.
The American Dental Association (ADA) recognizes only nine post dental degree dental specialties and cosmetic dentistry is not one of them. The closest post doctorate degree to a ‘cosmetic dentist’ specialty is prosthodontics.
Prosthodontics: (crown, bridge, and implants) A Prosthodontist has a dental specialty license pertaining to the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of the oral function, comfort, appearance and health of patients with clinical conditions associated with missing or deficient teeth and/or oral and maxillofacial tissues using biocompatible substitutes.
Of the 170,000 dentists in the U.S. only 3,200 are trained prosthodontists. Of those Forbes magazine estimates 560 are practicing prosthodontists. The so called ‘cosmetic dentists’ take short continuing education courses together with trial and error to create what a prosthodontist is trained to do in their ADA sanctioned post graduate work. The prosthodontist is trained for 3 years at a university to create the smile that implements the use of veneers, crowns, bridges and now the standard of care procedure of dental implants to ensure that the right smile is achieved both functionally and aesthetically. If anyone has a specialty in cosmetic dentistry, it would be the prosthodontist. So when you are seriously looking for a cosmetic dentist, look for a pro, a prosthodontist.
Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC
290 Carpenter Drive, 200A
Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328
404-256-3620
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Information included is not dental or medical advice. For your specific information
be sure to consult your dentist.
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the right smile 