Cosmetic dentistry...

[I-Baby]

Forgive me if I come off a little slow but I need a bit of clarification. Do dentists that do cosmetic procedures speacialize in anything? Or are they regular GP's? I was under the impression that it was a specialty. Also, if they are GP's, do they learn those procedures in dental school or do they go through some kind of extra training?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Jaybe]

Forgive me if I come off a little slow but I need a bit of clarification. Do dentists that do cosmetic procedures speacialize in anything? Or are they regular GP's? I was under the impression that it was a specialty. Also, if they are GP's, do they learn those procedures in dental school or do they go through some kind of extra training?

It is a 2 year Master's program consisting of watching Oprah and eating Bon-Bon's.

 

[toofache32]

There is no specialty recognized by the ADA as "cosmetic dentistry". These are people who take weekend courses (sometimes) to supplement the training they already get in dental school.

I always chuckle when I see this....ALL dentistry is cosmetic to some degree. Even the person that requests a gold crown on a front tooth is making a cosmetic request.

 

[Bifid Uvula]

There is no such specialty. Any dentist may claim to be a cosmetic dentist. There are some people who focus their practice towards mainly "cosmetic procedures" like bleaching, veneers, porcelain crowns/inlays/onlays" and avoid doing the other traditional general dentistry procedures. I don't really know any dentists who don't do "cosmetic dentistry" to some extent. Don't get me wrong though, there are some dentists (whether they claim to be cosmetic dentists or not) that do elevate their work to a true art.

There is a website to check out if you are interested... they have very good CE courses, and national meetings and a very rigorous "accreditation process" to become a "fellow." I've got friends going through the process and they say it can take 3-5 years to complete. http://www.aacd.com

 

[scalpel2008]

maybe i'm a little naive to the whole cosmetic dentistry thing but it seems to me that the lab is the most important variable in predicting a successful outcome in a "full mouth makeover" case. Like I said, I never got into the cosmetic dentistry thing in dental school. I actually cemented a couple of gold # 9s with a porcelian window in the middle because thats what the patient wanted. Anyhow, it seems like anyone can cut a bunch of veneer preps, take impressions, and send it off to a lab and then cement them. However, you do have to wear all black, have a waterfall in your waiting room, and hire hot staff to become a fellow in the AACD.

 

[toofache32]

... However, you do have to wear all black, have a waterfall in your waiting room, and hire hot staff to become a fellow in the AACD.

Oh **** ain't that the truth! A gold chain doesn't hurt either....

 

[helpfuldoc2b]

Oh **** ain't that the truth! A gold chain doesn't hurt either....

Doesnt hurt to wear some BLING and a Grill on your teeth

 

[Jaybe]

Doesnt hurt to wear some BLING and a Grill on your teeth

What really drives business is when you bring a full-on asian massage parlour into the mix. That makes for some happy customers and a full waiting room!!

Might have to extend your hours, though.

 

[Bifid Uvula]

the lab is super important in these cases... that AACD thing even acredits/certifies lab technicians through some case presentation and examination process.

But those labs/techs are probably hella expensive... That would account for the veneers costing in some cases $1500-2000 a pop. Not bad for a "no/minimal risk" sorta job. Who gets sued over veneers??? Root-canal therapy maybe, but veneers???

There's still nothing better than cold steel and titanium

 

[Bifid Uvula]

This whole discussion reminds me of the "extreme make-over" fad that hit the country a couple years ago. In my hometown a Periodontist (aka gingival plastic surgeon), a General Dentist (aka cosmetic dentist) and a Plastic Surgeon (aka the county's "finest cosmetic surgeon") teamed up offering "extreme makeovers" for our county. I just kept thinking to myself "how many stupid rednecks in my hometown are gonna really do this?" Extreme makeovers for them usually means getting new tires on their trucks.

 

[I-Baby]

You guys are killer

Thanks for all of the responses and the clarification.