What type of dentist should I see for checkup and cleaning? i.e. oral surgeon vs. generalist?
818681
I'm a dentist.\n\nDentists come in one of 10 specialties:\n\n1. General practice - as little of or as much of whatever they want.  But GP's are the primary care dentists.\n2. Endodontics - root canals\n3. Prosthodontics - prosthetics\n4. Orthodontics - braces\n5. Oral & maxillofacial pathology - look at tissue samples under a microscope\n6. Oral & maxillofacial radiology - radiologists of the head & neck.\n7. Oral & maxillofacial surgery - perform surgeries of head/neck as well as tooth extractions\n8. Public health dentistry - absolutely useless specialty\n9. Pediatric dentists - treat the sh*t that we general dentists don't want to bother with, i.e. poorly-behaved children.\n10. Periodontics - treat the gums & bone supporting the teeth.\n\nGeneral dentists are licensed to perform anything any of the above specialties can do.  Obviously, we are not trained for everything.  For example, I do most of my own root canals and most of my own wisdom teeth extractions, while many other dentists refer such cases to endodontists and oral surgeons, respectively.  On the other hand, I am not trained in placing braces, so I refer all of my orthodontic cases to orthodontists.  There are some general dentists out there who do their own orthodontic work.\n\nPersonally, there are way too many specialties in the profession.  Endodontics, periodontics, public health dentistry, and prosthodontists should all be dissolved.
200275
You're going to have to brush.. and floss!  But only do that if you intend on keeping your teeth.  It would also be a good idea to see your dentist every 6 months for a cleaning and exam.
805874
Trust your instincts.  An insurance company is the last place you should ask for a recommendation for a new dentist.\n\nAsk co-workers or people at your church (or whatever) or even people you meet in stores.  After a while, you will start to hear the same name over and over again and this is a good place to try.\n~
783773
You are probably best with Denplan, they have the widest number of dentists in the UK\n\nhttp://www.denplan.co.uk/patients.htm
695389
Have a consult with your dentist...
976743
There is a number called 1-800-Dentist - it can help you find a good dentist in your area and tell you if a dentist has had problems in the past w/ patients, malpractice suits, etc.  Also, I would start calling different dentists in your town or surrounding towns and tell them some of your story...  ask them if they are willing to take on a charity case.  I was a dental asst. and we did this a few times a year to lend a helping hand in our community.  HTH & GL to you!
1113174
They're about in equal demand in larger job markets, so you can't really go wrong with either one.  You probably would have a more diverse working environment and more opportunities for advancement and growth with the Medical Assistant, but, well, what's your gross-out factor?  If you're okay with blood, vomit, feces, etc., go with the Medical Assistant.  If you'd rather have a cleaner work environment, go with Dental Assistant - just keep in mind that you'll be doing pretty much the same stuff day in and day out.  Good luck with your decision!
233902
Well,  not Gurnee, but Lindenhurst is very close.  Dr. Favale and Dr. Hendricks (on Grand Ave.).  My husband is the biggest cry-baby when it comes to going to the dentist and they are really, really good to him.
1165856
Word of mouth is the best way to find a doc. Ask friends and family if they have heard of any good surgeons there.
926894
Sounds complicated. What you need is a second opinion by\nanother dentist or periodontist. To find dentist and peridontists\nthat will also save you additional money go to eHealthPlus\nclick on Find a Dentist and call them.
699264
call your dentist !!!! let him check it out
280269
Check the yellow page listings or contact your general dentist for a referral.
745086
If your university happens to have a dental program, I'd make an appointment in their clinic and see how much it would cost there. They are generally MUCH cheaper than a normal dentist. Better yet, if you have a friend in the program, and they need someone to bring to class and practice on, volunteer! It's usually free. And the students are well trained before hand and have a seasoned dentist supervising them, so don't be worried that they'll accidently fix the wrong tooth or anything. And students are often much more attentive than actual dentists, as they're being graded for their work. FYI, the same goes across the board, dental hygenist students, cosmetologist students, all do a better job in school than the liscensed pros do in real life.
91454
I would not only contact but I would visit the dentist school I planned on attending and ask them what they recommend you to take. That usually heads off problems in the long-run finding out you should have taken this or that class or that you wasted your time and money taking other things. I would NOT rely on the current school for recommendations. They may claim to know what you need to take but I've never seen it. I have seen over and over and over courses recommended that are not needed, which could have been avoided, then the student has to spend that much longer getting the classes he/she needs to get in the desired university.
1139370
Dont' jsut get a second opinion at random.  Find someone with a good dentist they reccomend.  A dentist that they have been going to for at least 5 years and get a personal refferal.  That way you can have more confidence that the opinion is trusted.  Dentist get these kind of refferals all the time from our longer term patients
158084
Just save some money and go to a dental college where you can get work done at discount prices. They even have payment plans. Several thousand dollars is not a big price to pay for healthy and beautiful teeth.
971558
If you haven't had a professional cleaning in 9 years, you got off easy. A debridement will get rid of all that buildup of plaque on your teeth - places where the brush doesn't reach. Most people can't see stuff on x-rays without being trained. If your dentist has an intra-oral cameral, you can probably see it.\n\nIf you have a vertical fracture, your teeth will eventually need to be treated. If you don't get it done, they will either be lost or need a root canal. It's up to you if you want them to match or not.\n\nIf you still don't trust your dentist, get a second or third opinion. The fact is, many dentists view the same teeth differently: one may be more conservative and believe in a "wait and see" type thing, while another leans towards "fix it before it breaks or hurts". Does not mean either is wrong or trying to cheat you, just a different philosophy.