Dental care practitioners
A dental care practitioner is a health worker who provides care and treatment to promote and restore oral health. These include dentists and dental surgeons, dental assistants, dental auxiliaries, dental hygienists, dental nurses, dental technicians, dental therapists, and related professional titles.
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, the maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures, and their impact on the human body. Dentistry tends to be perceived as being focused primarily on human teeth, though it is not limited strictly to this. Dentistry is widely considered necessary for complete overall health. Doctors who practice dentistry are known as dentists. The dentist's supporting team – which includes dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental technicians, and dental therapists – aids in providing oral health services.
Lets take an example of Maxillofacial.
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the surgical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the mouth, jaws, face and neck.
Consultant specialists working in this area are variously termed oral surgeons, maxillofacial surgeons or oral and maxillofacial surgeons.
So this may come under dental care practitioners and can come under surgical also. This type of treatment are included in most of healthcare insurance policies and plan .
Dentist also encourage prevention of oral disease through proper and regular brushing of teeth and regular checkups. Many studies have proved that gum disease is one of the main factor in increased risk of diabetes , heart disease etc.
About the specialties of dentist different part of world have different opinions. Lets take about world's leading Healthcare Insurance country America (US Healthcare). They recognize nine dental specialties .
Public health dentistry
Endodontics
Oral and Maxillofacial pathology
Oral and Maxillofacial radiology
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Orthodontics
Pediatric dentistry
Periodontics
Prosthodontics
General dentistry
