Index

Intro
Main Duties
Employment Requirements
All Titles
Exclusions

Intro

Dentists diagnose, treat, prevent and control disorders of the teeth and mouth. They work in private practice or may be employed in hospitals, clinics, public health facilities or universities.

Certification by the National Dental Examining Board of Canada entitles dentists or graduates of approved dental programs to practise dentistry in any province in Canada provided requirements set out by the provincial and territorial licensing authorities are met.

Main Duties

Dentists perform some or all of the following duties:

Examine patients’ teeth, gums and surrounding tissue to diagnose disease, injury and decay and plan appropriate treatment
Restore, extract and replace diseased and decayed teeth
Perform oral surgery, periodontal surgery and other treatments
Clean teeth and instruct patients on oral hygiene
Design bridgework, fit dentures and provide appliances to correct abnormal positioning of the teeth and jaws, or write fabrication instructions or prescriptions for use by denturists and dental technicians
Supervise dental hygienists, dental assistants and other staff.

Dentists may specialize in such areas as oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, oral pathology, oral radiology or public health dentistry.

Employment Requirements

One to four years of pre-dentistry university studies or, in Quebec, completion of a college program in sciences
and
A university degree from a recognized dental program are required.
Licensing by a provincial or territorial regulatory body is required.
Dentists in general practice can move into a specialized practice through advanced training.
Licensing for specializations is required.

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