There are thirteen subjects that dentists can be experts in, including teeth straightening, surgery and endodontics (the field pertaining to cosmeticdentistryguide.co.uk/articles/root-canal.html work). These areas are presided by the GDC (General Dental Council). Dentists must go through a meticulous deposit of tuition needs and examinations before the GDC will recognise them as a specialist.

What do you have to do to become a Specialist?

The minimum qualifications any Dublin dentists will have are a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree. Following this, they need to get a Diploma of Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery, and then do several years more expert training and study. Only on completion of all of this can a dentist be put on the GDC’s list of specialists.

Being a specialist enables the general public and other dental professionals to distinguish skill level. The system also prevents the public being misled by false claims, or overcharged by dentists with a lower skill level. You are always entitled to ask for proof of your dentist’s qualifications.

Where can you find a Specialist?

There are many places you can find a specialist on the internet. Some websites are dedicated specifically to this purpose while others might give lots of information relating to dentistry such as information on specific procedures or buying a dental practice guide. Search engines are also useful, but there is also a list of specialists on both the GDC’s website and the NHS’.